Circuit component mounting system and circuit component mounting method

ABSTRACT

A system for mounting circuit components on a circuit substrate, including a circuit-substrate supporting device which supports the circuit substrate, a circuit-component mounting device which mounts, at a circuit-component mounting position, the circuit components on the circuit substrate supported by the circuit-substrate supporting device, and a circuit-substrate carry-out device which receives, from the circuit-substrate supporting device, the circuit substrate with the circuit components being mounted thereon, and carries out the received circuit substrate, the circuit substrate being transferred from the circuit-substrate supporting device to the circuit-substrate carry-out device in a direction substantially perpendicular to a plane of the circuit substrate.

This is a Division of application Ser. No. 09/020,948 filed Feb. 9, 1998now U.S. Pat. No. 6,108,980. The entire disclosure of the priorapplication(s) is hereby incorporated by reference herein in itsentirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a system and a method for mountingcircuit components (“CCs”) on a circuit substrate (“CS”).

2. Related Art Statement

FIG. 14 shows a known CC mounting system 500 including a CS supportingdevice 512 which supports a CS 520, 521; a CC mounting device (notshown) which mounts, at a CC mounting position, CCs on the CS 520, 521supported by the CS supporting device 512; a CS carry-in device 514which carries in the CS 520, 521 and transfers the CS 520, 521 to the CSsupporting device 512; and a CS carry-out device 516 which receives,from the CS supporting device 512, the CS 520, 521 on which the CCs havebeen mounted, and carries out the CS 520, 521. The CS carry-in andcarry-out devices 514, 516 are provided along a CS carrying route onwhich the CS 520, 521 is carried, and the CC mounting device is providedat the CC mounting position offset from the CS carrying route. The CCsupporting device 512 includes a main holding device 518 which holds theCS 520, 521, and a main-holding-device moving device which moves themain holding device 518 horizontally and vertically. Thus, the CS 520,521 held by the main holding portion 518 is horizontally moved betweenthe CC mounting position where the CCs are mounted on the CS 520, 521 bythe CC mounting device and a CS transferring position where the CS 520,521 is transferred from the CS carry-in device 514 and to the CSsupporting device 512, and is transferred from the CS supporting device512 to the CS carry-out device 516, and where the CS 520, 521 isvertically moved between a movement height position where the CS 520,521 is moved for the CCs to be mounted thereon and a transferring heightposition where the CS 520, 521 is transferred between the CS supportingdevice 512 and the CS carry-in and carry-out devices 514, 516.

In the first step shown in FIG. 14, the CS 520 is carried in by the CScarry-in device 514; and, in the second step, the CS 520 is transferredto, and held by, the main holding device 518 being positioned at the CStransferring position and the transferring height position, while the CS520 is moved in a direction (i.e., horizontal direction) substantiallyparallel to the plane of the CS 520. In the third step, the main holdingdevice 518 holding the CS 520 is lowered to the movement height positionand then is horizontally moved to the CC mounting position where the CCsare mounted on the CS 520. In the second step, the CS 521 on which theCCs have been mounted is transferred, at the CS transferring positionand the transferring height position, to the CS carry-out device 516,while the CS 521 is moved in the horizontal direction. Thus, the CS 520is transferred from the CS carry-in device 514 to the CS supportingdevice 512, while the CS 521 is concurrently transferred from the CSsupporting device 512 to the CS carry-out device 516. This CStransferring operation (i.e., the transferring of the CS 520 onto the CSsupporting device 512 and the transferring of the CS 521 from the same512) needs a long time of about 5 seconds, as illustrated in FIG. 15. Inparticular, it is difficult to accelerate the transferring of the CS 521from the CS supporting device 512 to the CS carry-out device 516.Meanwhile, if the acceleration and/or deceleration of movement of the CS521 are/is increased to solve this problem, the CCs mounted on the CS521 might move because the CCs have only temporarily been fixed to theCS 521 with solder paste or uncured adhesive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a circuitcomponent mounting system which enjoys improved operation efficiency.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a circuitcomponent mounting method which enjoys improved operation efficiency.

The present invention provides a circuit component mounting system and acircuit component mounting method which have one or more of thetechnical features which are described below in respective paragraphsgiven parenthesized sequential numbers (1) to (44). Any technicalfeature which includes another technical feature shall do so byreferring, at the beginning, to the parenthesized sequential numbergiven to that technical feature. Thus, two or more of the followingtechnical features may be combined, if appropriate. Each technicalfeature may be accompanied by a supplemental explanation, as needed.

(1) According to a first feature of the present invention, there isprovided a system for mounting circuit components on a circuitsubstrate, comprising a circuit-substrate supporting device whichsupports the circuit substrate; a circuit-component mounting devicewhich mounts, at a circuit-component mounting position, the circuitcomponents on the circuit substrate supported by the circuit-substratesupporting device; and a circuit-substrate carry-out device whichreceives, from the circuit-substrate supporting device, the circuitsubstrate with the circuit components being mounted thereon, and carriesout the received circuit substrate, wherein the circuit substrate istransferred from the circuit-substrate supporting device to thecircuit-substrate carry-out device in a first direction substantiallyperpendicular to a plane of the circuit substrate. In the present CC(circuit component) mounting system, the transferring, i.e., removing ofthe CS (circuit substrate) from the CS supporting device to the CScarry-out device is done in the first direction substantiallyperpendicular to the plane of the CS, that is, in the direction ofthickness of the CS. Accordingly, the present system can remove the CSin a time shorter than in the case where the CS would be removed in aparallel direction parallel to the plane of the CS. If the removing ofthe CS from the CS supporting device is done in the first direction, theCS may be mounted on the CS supporting device by being moved in theparallel direction, because the overall time needed for mounting andremoving the CS can be reduced. If the time needed for removing a CS isreduced in a CC mounting system of a type in which the mounting of theCS and the removing of the CS are done at different times, it is naturalthat the overall time needed for mounting and removing the CS should bereduced. In addition, if the time needed for removing a CS is reduced ina CC mounting system of another type, like the prior CC mounting systemshown in FIG. 14, in which the removing of the CS and the mounting ofanother CS are done concurrently, the time needed for mounting thesecond CS can be reduced because the second CS can be moved in theparallel direction at a higher speed for being mounted on the CSsupporting device. In either case, the present CC mounting system canreduce the time during which the CS supporting device is involved inreceiving and transferring the CS, which leads to increasing the ratioof the time during which the CS supporting device is involved in themounting of the CCs on the CS, to the entire operation time of the CSsupporting device. Thus, the present CC mounting system can enjoyimproved operation efficiency.

(2) According to a second feature of the present invention whichincludes the first feature (1), the circuit-substrate carry-out devicecomprises a removing device which removes, from the circuit-substratesupporting device, the circuit substrate with the circuit componentsbeing mounted thereon, at a circuit-substrate removing position, in thefirst direction; and a parallel-direction carry-out device whichreceives the circuit substrate removed by the removing device, andcarries out the received circuit substrate by moving the receivedcircuit substrate in a parallel direction substantially parallel to theplane of the circuit substrate. The removing of the CS and theparallel-direction movement of the CS may be done by a single device.However, in the case where the CS is moved over a long distance in theparallel direction, it is preferred that the removing of the CS and theparallel-direction movement of the CS be done by independent devices,respectively. In the latter case, the CS supported by the CS supportingdevice is not directly transferred to the parallel-direction carry-outdevice, but is removed by the removing device before being transferredto the parallel-direction carry-out device. Since the CS is temporarilykept or held by the removing device, the removing device may be calledas the CS temporarily keeping or holding device. The transferring of theCS from the removing device to the parallel-direction carry-out devicemay be done in the first direction or in the parallel direction. In thecase where the removing device includes the holding device according tothe fourteenth feature (14), the CS is transferred in the paralleldirection. Since the CS supporting device is not involved in thistransferring of the CS, the transferring of the CS may not be doneimmediately after the removing of the CS from the CS supporting device.For example, the transferring of the CS may be done concurrently with anoperation in which the CS supporting device is involved, such as themounting of another CS on the CS supporting device, or the mounting ofCCs on the second CS.

(3) According to a third feature of the present invention which includesthe first or second feature (1) or (2), the circuit-substrate carry-outdevice comprises a parallel-direction carry-out device which carries outthe circuit substrate by moving the circuit substrate in a paralleldirection substantially parallel to the plane of the circuit substrate;and a removing device which removes, from the circuit-substratesupporting device, the circuit substrate with the circuit componentsbeing mounted thereon, at a circuit-substrate removing position, in thefirst direction, and transfers the removed circuit-substrate to theparallel-direction carry-out device at a circuit-substrate transferringposition in the parallel direction. The CS removing position and the CStransferring position may be the same as, or different from, each other.In the case where the two positions are different from each other, theremoving device may include a holding device which removes the CS fromthe CS supporting device and holds the same, and a holding-device movingdevice which moves the holding device between the two positions. In thecase where the two positions are the same as each other, the removingdevice does not need any holding-device moving device. In the case wherethe CS supporting device includes a main holding device which holds a CSand a main-holding-device moving device which moves the holding device,the removing device may be adapted to wait, at the CS removing position,in a state thereof in which the removing device can remove a CS from theCS supporting device, so that the removing device can quickly remove theCS from the CS supporting device when the CS on which CCs have beenmounted is moved to the CS removing position by the CS supportingdevice. In addition, the removing device may be adapted to wait, at theCS transferring position, in a state thereof in which the removingdevice can transfer a CS to the parallel-direction carry-out device, sothat the removing device can quickly transfer the CS. Thus, the removingdevice may selectively take the two waiting states in one of which theremoving device can quickly remove a CS from the CS supporting deviceand in the other of which the removing device can quickly transfer a CSto the parallel-direction carry-out device. Each of theparallel-direction carry-out device and the removing device of the CScarry-out device according to the second feature (2), may comprise aholding device which removes a CS from the CS supporting device andholds the same, and may, or may not, include a holding-device movingdevice which moves the holding device.

(4) According to a fourth feature of the present invention whichincludes any one of the first to third features (1) to (3), the circuitcomponent mounting system further comprising a circuit-substratecarry-in device which carries in the circuit substrate and transfers thecircuit substrate to the circuit-substrate supporting device, whereinthe circuit substrate is transferred from the circuit-substrate carry-indevice to the circuit-substrate supporting device in a second directionopposite to the first direction. In the present CC mounting system, theremoving of the CS from the CS supporting device to the CS carry-outdevice is done in the first direction, and the transferring, i.e.,mounting of the CS from the CS carry-in device to the CS supportingdevice is done in the second direction opposite to the first direction,that is, perpendicular to the plane of the CS, i.e., in the direction ofthickness of the CS. Accordingly, the CS can be mounted on the CSsupporting device in a time shorter than in the case where the CS wouldbe mounted by being moved in a parallel direction parallel to the planeof the CS. Since both the removing and mounting of the CS are done inthe first and second directions opposite to the plane of the CS, theoverall time needed for removing and mounting the CS can be reduced ascompared with the case where only the removing of the CS would be donein the first direction and the mounting of the CS would be done in theparallel direction. The present CC mounting system is advantageouslyused for the case where the CS to which some (not all) CCs have beentemporarily fixed is carried in by the CS carry-in device.

(5) According to a fifth feature of the present invention which includesthe fourth feature (4), the circuit-substrate carry-in device comprisesa third-direction carry-in device which carries in the circuit substrateby moving the circuit substrate to a circuit-substrate mounting positionin a third direction substantially parallel to the plane of the circuitsubstrate; and a mounting device which receives, from thethird-direction carry-in device, the circuit substrate moved to thecircuit-substrate mounting position, and mounts the received circuitsubstrate on the circuit-substrate supporting device in the seconddirection. The description made for the CS carry-out device according tothe second feature (2) is also true with the CS carry-in deviceaccording to the fifth feature (5). For example, the CS mountingposition can be said as the CS transferring position, and the mountingdevice can be said as the CS temporarily keeping or holding device. Inaddition, before the CS is mounted on the CS supporting device, the CSis transferred to the mounting device, so that the mounting device maywait while holding the CS.

(6) According to a sixth feature of the present invention which includesthe fourth or fifth feature (4) or (5), the circuit-substrate carry-indevice comprises a third-direction carry-in device which carries in thecircuit substrate by moving the circuit substrate to a waiting positionin a third direction substantially parallel to the plane of the circuitsubstrate; and a mounting device which holds the circuit substrate movedto the waiting position, waits while holding the circuit substrate, andmounts the circuit substrate on the circuit-substrate supporting deviceat a circuit-substrate mounting position in the second direction. Thedescription made for the CS carry-out device according to the thirdfeature (3) is also true with the CS carry-in device according to thesixth feature (6). For example, in the case where the waiting positionand the CS mounting position are different from each other, the mountingdevice may include a holding device which holds the CS, and aholding-device moving device which moves the holding device. Inaddition, the mounting device may selectively take two waiting states inone of which the mounting device can quickly receive a CS from thethird-direction carry-in device and in the other of which the mountingdevice can quickly mount a CS on the CS supporting device. Each of thethird-direction carry-in device and the mounting device of the CScarry-in device according to the fifth feature (5), may include aholding device which holds a CS, and may, or may not, include aholding-device moving device which moves the holding device.

(7) According to a seventh feature of the present invention whichincludes any of the fourth to sixth features (4) to (6), at least one ofthe circuit-substrate carry-out device, the circuit-substrate carry-indevice, and the circuit-substrate supporting device comprises a holdingdevice which holds the circuit substrate, and a holding-device movingdevice which moves the holding device in a third direction substantiallyparallel to the plane of the circuit substrate. Which one or two, orall, of the CS carry-out device, the CS carry-in device, and the CSsupporting device has or have a holding-device moving device in additionto a holding device, depends on the positional relationship between theCC mounting position, the CS mounting position, and the CS removingposition. For example, in the case where the CC mounting position isdifferent from the CS mounting position and the CS removing position, itis preferred that the CS supporting device has a main holding devicewhich holds a CS and a main-holding-device moving device which moves themain holding device in the third direction between the CC mountingposition and the CS mounting and removing positions. In this case, themain holding device may be attached to the main-holding-device movingdevice, which may be provided by an X-Y table which is movable in an Xdirection and a Y direction perpendicular to the X direction. In thecase where the CC mounting position is the same as both the CS mountingand removing positions, it is possible that the CS carry-in device has aholding device which holds a CS and a holding-device moving device whichmoves the holding device in the third direction over at least a portionof the distance between a CS supplying position where the CS is suppliedand the CC mounting position and that the CS carry-out device have aholding device which holds a CS and a holding-device moving device whichmoves the holding device in the third direction over at least a portionof the distance between the CC mounting position and a CS dischargingposition where the CS on which the CCs have been mounted is discharged.In the case where the CC mounting position is the same as one of the CSmounting and removing positions and is different from the otherposition, it is possible that the CS supporting device have a mainholding device and a main-holding-device moving device and that one ofthe CS carry-in device and the CS carry-out device have a holding deviceand a holding-device moving device.

(8) According to an eighth feature of the present invention whichincludes any of the fourth to seventh features (4) to (7), thecircuit-substrate carry-in device and the circuit-substrate carry-outdevice are provided along a circuit-substrate carrying route, whereinthe circuit-component mounting device is provided at thecircuit-component mounting position offset from the circuit-substratecarrying route, wherein the circuit-substrate carry-in device comprisesa mounting device which mounts, at a circuit-substrate mounting positionon the circuit-substrate carrying route, the circuit substrate on thecircuit-substrate supporting device in the second direction, wherein thecircuit-substrate carry-out device comprises a removing device whichremoves, at a circuit-substrate removing position on a downstream sideof the circuit-substrate mounting position on the circuit-substratecarrying route, the circuit substrate from the circuit-substratesupporting device in the first direction, and wherein thecircuit-substrate supporting device comprises a main holding devicewhich holds the circuit substrate, and a main-holding-device movingdevice which moves the main holding device to the circuit-componentmounting position, the circuit-substrate mounting position, and thecircuit-substrate removing position. In the present CC mounting system,the CS is mounted on the main holding device of the CS supporting devicein the second direction. The main holding device which holds the mountedCS is moved by the main-holding-device moving device from the CSmounting position to the CC mounting position where the CCs are mountedon the CS. After the CCs have been mounted on the CS, the main holdingdevice is moved by the main-holding-device moving device to the CSremoving position where the CS is removed in the first direction by theCS removing device. After the CS is removed, the main holding device ismoved back to the CS mounting position where another CS is mountedthereon. Thus, in the case where the CC mounting position, the CSmounting position, and the CS removing position are different from oneanother, the main holding device of the CS supporting device is movedamong those positions by the main-holding-device moving device. Sincethe CS mounting position and the CS removing position are distant fromeach other, the CS mounting device and the CS removing device can beoperated while being effectively prevented from interfering with eachother. For example, while a CS is removed at the CS removing position,the CS mounting device which holds another CS may be moved to the CSmounting position and wait. In this case, immediately after the first CSis removed at the CS removing position, the main holding device may bemoved to the CS mounting position where the CS mounting device mountsthe second CS on the CS supporting device in the second direction. Thus,the overall time needed for mounting and removing each CS can bereduced. Since the main holding device is moved from the CS removingposition to the CS mounting position, without holding a CS, the mainholding device can be quickly moved with an abrupt acceleration and/oran abrupt deceleration. In the prior CC mounting system shown in FIG.14, the main holding device 518 need not be moved in the CS carryingdirection, but the CS must be moved in a direction parallel to the planethereof. As described previously, this movement of the CS needs a longtime. In contrast, the CC mounting system according to the eighthfeature (8) requires the movement of the main holding device. However,this movement can be quickly done and accordingly the overall timeneeded for mounting and removing each CS can be reduced.

(9) According to a ninth feature of the present invention which includesany of the fourth to eighth features (4) to (8), the circuit-substratecarry-in device and the circuit-substrate carry-out device are providedalong a circuit-substrate carrying route, wherein the circuit-componentmounting device is provided at the circuit-component mounting positionoffset from the circuit-substrate carrying route, and wherein thecircuit-substrate supporting device comprises a main holding devicewhich holds the circuit substrate, and a main-holding-device movingdevice which moves the main holding device in at least a direction whichis substantially parallel to the plane of the circuit substrate andwhich intersects the circuit-substrate carrying route.

(10) According to a tenth feature of the present invention whichincludes any of the fourth to ninth features (4) to (9), the circuitcomponent mounting system comprises a circuit-substrate transferringdevice which transfers the circuit substrate in the first direction. Forexample, the CS transferring device comprises a first portion supportedby the CS supporting device and a second portion supported by the CScarry-out device, or comprises a first portion supported by the CSsupporting device and a second portion supported by the CS carry-indevice. That is, the CS transferring device may comprise a main holdingdevice of the CS supporting device and a holding device of the CScarry-out device, or comprise a main holding device of the CS supportingdevice and a holding device of the CS carry-in device. For example, inthe case where the CS carry-out device includes the removing device andthe third-direction carry-out device or the the CS carry-in deviceincludes the third-direction carry-in device and the mounting device,the CS transferring device may comprise the holding device of theremoving device or the holding device of the mounting device. Otherwise,the CS transferring device may comprise a support member which justsupports the lower surface of the CS.

(11) According to an eleventh feature of the present invention whichincludes the tenth feature (10), the circuit-substrate transferringdevice comprises at least one of a clamping device which clamps thecircuit substrate, a support member which supports a lower surface ofthe circuit substrate, and a suction device which holds the circuitsubstrate by applying suction thereto. In the case where each of the CSsupporting device and the CS carry-out device or the CS carry-in devicecomprises one of the clamping device, the support member, and thesuction device, the CS can be transferred from the CS supporting deviceto the CS carry-out device in the first direction, or from the CScarry-in device to the CS supporting device in the second direction.This feature is equivalent to a feature that the holding deviceaccording to the seventh feature (7) comprises one of the clampingdevice, the support member, and the suction device. Meanwhile, thesuction device may be either an upper-surface suction device which holdsa CS by applying suction to the upper surface of the CS, or alower-surface suction device which holds a CS by applying suction to thelower surface of the CS. However, in the case where the main holdingdevice of the CS supporting device employs a suction device, it ispreferred that the main holding device employs a lower-surface suctiondevice. The CS transferring device may be provided by the combination ofa clamping device and a support member, the combination of a supportmember and a suction device, or the combination of two suction devices.That is, the CS transferring device may be provided by the combinationof two holding devices of different sorts, or the combination of twoholding devices of the same sort.

(12) According to a twelfth feature of the present invention whichincludes any one of the fourth to eleventh features (4) to (11), atleast one of the circuit-substrate carry-out device, thecircuit-substrate carry-in device, and the circuit-substrate supportingdevice comprises a holding device which holds the circuit substrate, andwherein the holding device comprises a pivot-type holding devicecomprising at least one main portion, and at least one pivotable portionwhich is supported by the main portion such that the pivotable portionis pivotable to a holding position where the pivotable portion supportsa lower surface of the circuit substrate and thereby holds the circuitsubstrate, and to a releasing position where the pivotable portionreleases the circuit substrate, about an axis line substantiallyparallel to the plane of the circuit substrate. It is preferred that thepivot-type holding device comprise a pair of main portions and a pair ofpivotable portions which are supported by the two main portions suchthat the two pivotable portions are opposed to each other. The switchingof the pivot-type holding device between its holding and releasingpositions is done by pivoting the pivotable portions. Otherwise, it ispossible that the holding device comprise a translate-type holdingdevice including at least one translatable portion which can betranslated for holding and releasing the CS. However, the pivot-typeholding device can be produced more easily than the translate-typeholding device. The pivot-type holding device may comprise a pluralityof holding projections which cooperate with each other to support thelower surface of the CS. The plurality of rotatable support membersaccording to the thirteenth feature (13) can be regarded as oneembodiment of the plurality of holding projections, or otherwise it canbe said that the plurality of rotatable support members according to thethirteenth feature (13) are supported by the plurality of holdingprojections, respectively. In the case where the CS carry-in devicecomprises the pivot-type holding device and the main holding device ofthe CS supporting device comprises the support member which supports thelower surface of the CS, the transferring of the CS means that thepivot-type holding device is switched from its CS holding state to itsCS releasing state and the CS is released from the pivot-type holdingdevice and is supported on the support member. The releasing of the CSfrom the pivot-type holding device may be done after or before the CS issupported on the support member. In the latter case, the CS falls ontothe support member and accordingly it is preferred that the distance offalling of the CS be as short as possible. The pivot-type holding devicemay comprise a CS moving device which moves the CS being held, in ahorizontal direction. For example, the CS moving device may be providedby a plurality of rollers, and a belt wound on the rollers. The CS isheld by the belt and is moved horizontally by the rotation of therollers. The CS moving device may comprise the plurality of rotatablesupport members according to the thirteenth feature (13).

(13) According to a thirteenth feature of the present invention whichincludes the twelfth feature (12), the at least one pivotable portion ofthe pivot-type holding device comprises at least one pivotable memberwhich is attached to the at least one main portion such that thepivotable member is pivotable about an axis line thereof; and aplurality of rotatable support members which are attached to thepivotable member such that the rotatable support members are arrangedalong a straight line parallel to the axis line of the pivotable memberand each of the support members is rotatable about an axis lineperpendicular to the axis line of the pivotable member. Since thepivotable portion comprises the plurality of rotatable support membersarranged along the straight line parallel to the axis line of thepivotable member, the support members cooperate with each other tosupport the CS such that the CS extends parallel to the axis line of thepivotable member. In addition, when the support members are rotated, theCS is moved in the third direction parallel to the plane of the CS. Forexample, in the case where the CS carry-in device comprises thethird-direction carry-in device and the mounting device according to thefifth or sixth feature (5) or (6) and the mounting device comprises thepivot-type holding device including the at least one pivotable memberand the plurality of rotatable support members, the third-directioncarry-in device carries in the CS in the third direction and thepivot-type holding device can receive the CS in the third direction byutilizing the rotation of the rotatable support members. Meanwhile, inthe case where the CS carry-out device comprises the parallel-directioncarry-out device and the removing device according to the second orthird feature (2) or (3) and the removing device comprises thepivot-type holding device including the at least one pivotable memberand the plurality of rotatable support members, the removing device cantransfer the removed CS to the parallel-direction carry-out device inthe parallel direction by utilizing the rotation of the rotatablesupport members.

(14) According to a fourteenth feature of the present invention whichincludes any one of the first to thirteenth feature (1) to (13), atleast one of the circuit-substrate carry-out device and thecircuit-substrate supporting device comprises a holding device whichholds the circuit substrate, and wherein the holding device comprises atleast one main member; at least one pivotable member which is supportedby the main member such that the pivotable member is pivotable about anaxis line substantially parallel to the plane of the circuit substrate;a plurality of rotatable support members which are attached to thepivotable member such that the rotatable support members are arrangedalong a straight line parallel to the axis line of the pivotable memberand each of the support members is rotatable about an axis lineperpendicular to the axis line of the pivotable member; and a pivotingdevice which pivots the pivotable member to a holding position where therotatable support members support the circuit substrate, and to areleasing position where the support members release the circuitsubstrate. In the case where the present CC mounting system comprises aCS carry-in device in addition to the CS carry-out device and the CSsupporting device, it is preferred that at least one of the CS carry-indevice, the CS carry-out device, and the CS supporting device comprisethe above-described holding device. In the present CC mounting system,the holding device which holds the CS can be switched by pivoting thepivotable member to its CS holding position and its CS releasingposition. This holding device can be produced more easily than a holdingdevice of a type which is switchable by translating at least one memberto its CS holding and releasing positions. Since this holding device isswitchable to its CS holding and releasing states by the switching ofthe pivotable member to its CS holding and releasing positions, theholding device can be called as the pivot-type holding device. Since theCS is supported on the rotatable support members as a plurality ofholding projections, the CS extends parallel to the axis line of thepivotable member. When the rotatable support members on which the CS issupported are rotated, the CS is moved in the parallel or thirddirection parallel to the plane of the CS. That is, the CS is supportedon the rotatable support members such that the CS is movable in thethird direction. Thus, the rotatable support members function as a CSmoving device which moves the CS in the third direction. The thirddirection may be a horizontal direction.

(15) According to a fifteenth feature of the present invention whichincludes the thirteenth or fourteenth feature (13) or (14), thepivot-type holding device further comprises a rotating device whichrotates the rotatable support members, and wherein each of the rotatablesupport members includes a roller portion which contacts and supportsthe circuit substrate, and a friction ring defining an outercircumferential surface of the roller portion. The CS is supported onthe rotatable support members such that the CS is in contact with therespective friction rings of the support members. The friction ringscontribute to increasing the friction force produced between the CS andthe rotatable support members. Thus, the rotation of the roller portionsare advantageously transmitted to the CS, so that the CS may be moved inthe third direction.

(16) According to a sixteenth feature of the present invention whichincludes the fifteenth feature (15), the rotating device comprises aplurality of driven pulleys each of which is attached to a portion of acorresponding one of the rotatable support members which portion isaxially remote from the roller portion of the one rotatable supportmember; at least one guide pulley which is rotatably attached to thepivotable member such that the guide pulley is positioned in a plane inwhich the driven pulleys are positioned; a drive source which isattached to the pivotable member and which produces rotation; a drivepulley which is attached to the drive source such that the drive pulleyis positioned in the plane; and a rotation transmitting member which iswound on the drive pulley, the driven pulleys, and the guide pulley. Thedrive pulley is rotated by the drive source, the rotation of the drivepulley is transmitted by the rotation transmitting member to the drivenpulleys, and the respective roller portions of the rotatable supportmembers are rotated. The guide pulley may be used to deflect therotation transmitting member (e.g., belt), or increase the angle atwhich the rotation transmitting member is wound on the drive and/ordriven pulleys. In the case where the rotating device employs a numberof driven pulleys and/or a number of guide pulleys, some of thosepulleys may be provided by pulleys having annular flanges and the otherpulleys may be provided by pulleys having no annular flange. In thiscase, the rotation transmitting member is easily wound on those pulleys,while being effectively prevented from being coming off the same duringits operation.

(17) According to a seventeenth feature of the present invention whichincludes any one of the eleventh to sixteenth feature (11) to (16), thecircuit-substrate transferring device comprises the clamping device,wherein the clamping device comprises at least one main member; aplurality of clamp members which are attached to the main member suchthat the clamp members are spaced from each other in a directionsubstantially parallel to the plane of the circuit substrate, and eachof which is pivotable to a clamping position where the each clamp memberclamps the circuit substrate, and to a non-clamping position where theeach clamp member does not clamp the circuit substrate; and a pivotingdevice which pivots the clamp members to the clamping and non-clampingpositions thereof. Since the CS is clamped by the plurality of clampmembers which are provided at an appropriate interval of distance in theparallel direction parallel to the plane of the circuit substrate, e.g.,in a horizontal direction, the CS extends in the parallel direction orin the horizontal direction. The main member of the clamping device maybe provided by a comb-like member having a plurality of teeth on whichthe plurality of clamp members are provided, respectively. In the lattercase, not only the clamp members but also the teeth of the main memberare permitted to enter the recesses of the pivotable member of thepivot-type holding device according to the twenty-first feature (21)described later.

(18) According to an eighteenth feature of the present invention whichincludes the seventeenth feature (17), the pivoting device comprises anaxis member which is rotatable; and a plurality of rotation transmittingdevices each of which transmits the rotation of the axis member to acorresponding one of the clamp members. When the single axis member isrotated, the plurality of clamp members are simultaneously pivoted totheir clamping and non-clamping positions. Thus, the present CC mountingsystem enjoys the advantage that the single axis member can be rotatedby a single drive source. In addition, the single axis member may beprovided at a position distant from the clamp members, so as not tointerfere with the operation of the pivotable portion of the pivot-typeholding device. The rotation transmitting devices may be provided atpositions where those devices do not interfere with the holdingprojections of the pivotable portion. Each rotation transmitting devicemay be provided by, e.g., a drive gear attached to the axis member suchthat the drive gear is not rotatable relative to the axis member, and aplurality of driven gears such as sector gears which are provided on theplurality of clamp members such that the driven gears are rotatable withthe clamp members and each of which is directly meshed with, orindirectly meshed via an intermediate gear, with the drive gear.

(19) According to a nineteenth feature of the present invention whichincludes any one of the twelfth to eighteenth features (12) to (18), atleast one of the circuit-substrate carry-in device and thecircuit-substrate carry-out device comprises the pivot-type holdingdevice, and wherein the circuit-substrate supporting device comprises amain holding device which holds the circuit substrate and the mainholding device comprises a clamping device which clamps the circuitsubstrate. In the case where the CS supporting device further includes amain-holding-device moving device which moves the main holding device inthe third direction and the CS carry-in and carry-out devices do nothave any holding-device moving devices, it is desirable that the mainholding device reliably hold the CS than the respective holding devicesof the CS carry-in and carry-out devices. In addition, since the CCs aremounted on the CS held by the main holding device, it is also desirablethat the main holding device reliably hold the CS. On the other hand, inorder to facilitate the removing of the CS in the first direction and/orthe mounting of the CS in the second direction, it is desirable that oneof the CS supporting device and the CS carry-out or carry-in deviceemploy the pivot-type holding device. Therefore, it is desirable that atleast one of the CS carry-in device and the CS carry-out device comprisethe pivot-type holding device and that the main holding device comprisethe clamping device.

(20) According to a twentieth feature of the present invention whichincludes the nineteenth feature (19), the pivot-type holding deviceholds at least one first portion of an outer peripheral portion of thecircuit substrate, and the clamping device clamps at least one secondportion of the outer peripheral portion of the circuit substrate whichis different from the first portion. For example, the CS can betransferred between the main holding device and the holding device ofthe CS carry-out or carry-in device, in such a manner that a pluralityof clamp members of the clamping device are positioned alternately witha plurality of holding projections of the holding device. That is, ifthe clamping positions and the holding positions are alternate with eachother on the CS, the CS can be simultaneously clamped and held and canbe smoothly changed to its clamped state and its held state. Theswitching of the clamping device between its CS clamping andnon-clamping states and the switching of the holding device between itsCS holding and releasing states can be simultaneously done while theclamp members and the holding projections are prevented from interferingwith each other. Thus, the CS can be smoothly transferred. For example,the CS may be handed from the clamping device to the holding device, orvice versa, without any movement thereof in the first or seconddirection, or with only small movement thereof in the first or seconddirection. This CS handing may be done only between the CS carry-outdevice and the CS supporting device, or only between the CS carry-indevice and the CS supporting device, or both between the CS carry-outdevice and the CS supporting device and between the CS carry-in deviceand the CS supporting device.

(21) According to a twenty-first feature of the present invention whichincludes any one of the thirteenth to twentieth features (13) to (20),the at least one pivotable member of the pivot-type holding device has aplurality of recesses formed in a plurality of first portions thereof,respectively, which are different from a plurality of second portionsthereof to which the plurality of rotatable support members areattached, respectively. The recesses may have a shape and dimensionswhich permit the clamp members of the clamping device to move thereinto.In the case where the pivot-type holding device employs two pivotablemembers, the shape of each recess may be such that with the pivotablemembers being at their holding positions, each recess opens in the lowersurface of the corresponding pivotable member and the inner surface ofthe same which is opposed to the inner surface of the other pivotablemember. In the case where the recesses are alternate with the rotatablesupport members, the clamping positions and the holding positions arealso alternate on the CS. Otherwise, each recess may have such a shapethat the recess opens in the lower surface of the pivotable member andin both the side surfaces of the same. In the last case, the pivotablemember has a comb-like shape. The rotatable support members may bereplaced with the holding projections.

(22) According to a twenty-second feature of the present invention whichincludes the nineteenth or twentieth feature (19) or (20), the clampingdevice comprises at least one support member which supports a lowersurface of the circuit substrate, and a plurality of clamp members whichclamp the circuit substrate and which are attached to a plurality offirst portions of the support member, respectively, wherein the at leastone pivotable portion of the pivot-type holding device comprises aplurality of holding projections which cooperate with each other to holdthe circuit substrate, and wherein the support member further includes aplurality of second recessed portions which are different from the firstportions thereof and which permit the holding projections to movethereinto to hold the circuit substrate. It is desirable that theclamping device also comprise the second recessed portions which permitthe holding projections (or the rotatable support members) of thepivotable portion to move thereinto. In the case where the clamp membersare provided at an appropriate interval of distance, those clamp membersmay cooperate with each other to define the second recessed portions.

(23) According to a twenty-third feature of the present invention whichincludes any one of the fourth to twenty-second feature (4) to (22), atleast one of the circuit-substrate carry-out device, thecircuit-substrate carry-in device, and the circuit-substrate supportingdevice comprises a holding device which holds the circuit substrate, andan elevating and lowering device which moves the holding device upwardand downward. The holding device may not be movable upward or downward.However, in the case where at least one of the above-indicated threedevices comprises the elevating and lowering device, for example, thedistance of falling of the CS when the CS is transferred in the seconddirection can be reduced or even zeroed. It is desirable that the CS donot fall when the CS is transferred in the second direction, inparticular in the case where the CS has some CCs mounted thereon.Meanwhile, in the case where at least two of the CS mounting heightposition, the CC mounting height position, the CS removing heightposition, and the horizontal-movement height position of the CSsupporting device are different from each other, in the case where atleast two of the CS carry-in height position, the waiting heightposition, and the CS mounting height position of the CS carry-in deviceare different from each other, or in the case where at least two of theCS carry-out height position, the CS transferring height position, andthe CS removing height position of the CS carry-out device are differentfrom each other, each of the above-indicated three devices needs theelevating and lowering device. In addition, in the case where after theCS is transferred from one holding device to another holding device, oneof the two holding devices interferes with the horizontal movement ofthe other holding device, the elevating and lowering device is neededfor moving one of the two holding devices upward or downward. Forexample, in the case where the CS carry-in device comprises thethird-direction carry-in device and the mounting device, if the CSreceiving height position where the mounting device receives the CScarried in by the carry-in device is different from the CS mountingheight position where the mounting device mounts the CS on the CSsupporting device, it is desirable that the mounting device comprise theholding device and the elevating and lowering device. Likewise, in thecase where the CS removing height position and the CS transferringheight position of the removing device are different from each other, itis desirable that the removing device comprise the holding device andthe elevating and lowering device. In the case where the CS transferring(mounting or removing) height position, the CC mounting height position,and the horizontal-movement height position of the CS supporting deviceare different from each other, it is desirable that the CS supportingdevice comprise the main holding device and the elevating and loweringdevice which moves the main holding device upward and downward. In thecase where each of the mounting device, the removing device, and the CSsupporting device comprises the elevating and lowering device whichelevates and lowers the CS in the first and second directions, and eachof the three elevating and lowering devices comprises a speed controldevice which controls the speed of upward and downward movement of theholding device, the holding device can be moved upward and downward insuch a controlled manner that the holding device holding a CS is movedat a low speed and that the holding device not holding any CSs is movedat a high speed. In the case where each elevating and lowering devicecomprises a distance control device which controls the distance ofupward and downward movement of the holding device, the holding devicecan be moved upward and downward in such a controlled manner that theholding device holding a CS is moved by a short distance and that theholding device not holding any CSs is moved by a long distance. Inaddition, the main holding device and the holding device of the CScarry-in or carry-out device can be moved in such a controlled mannerthat the main holding device is elevated and lowered by a short distanceand that the holding device of the CS carry-in or carry-out device iselevated and lowered by a long distance. Although the time needed forelevating and lowering the main holding device is included in theoverall time needed for mounting and removing each CS, the main holdingdevice is not involved in the upward and downward movement of theholding device of the CS carry-in or carry-out device. Accordingly, thismovement may be done concurrently with another operation. Thus, theholding device of the CS carry-in or carry-out device may be elevatedand lowered by a distance longer than that by which the main holdingdevice is elevated and lowered. For example, when the removing deviceremoves the CS from the CS supporting device at the CS removingposition, the distance of upward movement of the main holding deviceholding the CS may be reduced by making the holding device of theremoving device to wait at the CS removing height position, even if themain holding device may be moved upward at a low speed. After theremoving of the CS, the holding device holding the removed CS may bemoved upward to the CS transferring height position at a low speed andthe main holding portion not holding a CS may be moved downward to thehorizontal-movement height position at a high speed. However, the upwardmovement of the holding device of the removing device need not bestarted immediately after the removing of the CS, and may be doneconcurrently with the carrying-in of another CS, the mounting of thesecond CS, and/or the mounting of CCs on the second CS. Meanwhile, whenthe mounting device mounts the CS on the CS supporting device at the CSmounting position, the holding device of the mounting which is held atits CS holding state may be moved downward from the CS receiving heightposition to the CS mounting height position at a low speed, and the mainholding device not holding a CS may be moved upward from thehorizontal-movement height position to the CS mounting height position.After the mounting of the CS, the holding device of the mounting devicewhich is held at its CS releasing state may be moved upward to the CSreceiving height position at a high speed, and the main holding devicemay be moved in the horizontal direction immediately.

(24) According to a twenty-fourth feature of the present invention whichincludes the twenty-third feature (23), the elevating and loweringdevice comprises a control device including a speed control device whichcontrols a speed of the upward and downward movement of the holdingdevice such that the speed of the movement is smoothly increased whenthe movement is started, and is smoothly decreased when the movement isstopped. In this case, the CS can be transferred with reduced impact. Itis desirable that the speed control device control the speed of upwardand downward movement of the holding device such that the speed issmoothly increased from zero and is smoothly decreased. In the lastcase, the CS can be transferred with reduced vibration and noise.

(25) According to a twenty-fifth feature of the present invention whichincludes the twenty-third or twenty-fourth feature (23) or (24), theholding device comprises a pivot-type holding device comprising at leastone main portion, and at least one pivotable portion which is supportedby the main portion such that the pivotable portion is pivotable to aholding position where the pivotable portion supports a lower surface ofthe circuit substrate and thereby holds the circuit substrate, and to areleasing position where the pivotable portion releases the circuitsubstrate, about an axis line substantially parallel to the plane of thecircuit substrate, and wherein the elevating and lowering devicecomprises a speed control device which controls a speed of the upwardand downward movement of the holding device such that the speed of themovement is smoothly increased when the movement is started, and issmoothly decreased when the movement is stopped. It is desirable thatthe speed control device be used in combination with the pivot-typeholding device.

(26) According to a twenty-sixth feature of the present invention whichincludes the twenty-fourth or twenty-fifth feature (24) or (25), theelevating and lowering device comprises at least one main member, andwherein the speed control device comprises at least one rotatable axismember which is supported by the main member such that the axis memberis rotatable at a constant speed; and a motion converting device whichconverts the constant-speed rotation of the axis member into the upwardand downward movement of the holding device such that the speed of themovement is smoothly increased from zero and is smoothly decreased.

(27) According to a twenty-seventh feature of the present inventionwhich includes the twenty-sixth feature (26), the elevating and loweringdevice further comprises at least one elevating and lowering memberwhich holds the holding device, and wherein the motion converting devicecomprises at least one eccentric cam which is attached to the rotatableaxis member such that the eccentric cam is eccentric to the axis member;and at least one elongate groove which is formed in the at least oneelevating and lowering member such that the elongate groove is elongatein a third direction substantially parallel to the plane of the circuitsubstrate, and which is engaged with the at least one eccentric cam suchthat the elongate groove is substantially immovable relative to theeccentric cam in a vertical direction. As the eccentric cam is rotated,the elevating and lowering member is moved upward and downward, so thatthe holding device is moved upward and downward. When a point of theeccentric cam which is the most distant from the rotatable axis memberis moved up to a position right above, and down to a position rightbelow, the axis member, the speed of movement of the elevating andlowering member takes zero and, when the cam is moved between the twopositions, the speed is smoothly increased and smoothly decreased. Inthe case where the at least one main portion of the pivot-type holdingdevice according to the twelfth feature (12) is provided as an integralportion of the at least one elevating and lowering member, the at leastone pivotable portion of the holding device can be moved upward anddownward.

(28) According to a twenty-eighth feature of the present invention whichincludes any one of the fourth to twenty-seventh features (4) to (27),at least one of the circuit-substrate carry-in device and thecircuit-substrate supporting device comprises a positioning device whichpositions the circuit substrate in a third direction substantiallyparallel to the plane of the circuit substrate. This positioning deviceis not essentially needed but is advantageous if employed. Thepositioning device may be included in the CS carry-in device and/or theCS supporting device. The CS supporting device employs the positioningdevice more advantageously than the CS carry-in device. However, in thepresent CC mounting system, the CS is transferred from the CS carry-indevice to the CS supporting device in the second direction. Accordingly,once the CS is positioned in the third direction by the CS carry-indevice, the CS is automatically positioned in the third direction withrespect to the CS supporting device. Thus, the CS supporting device doesnot essentially need the positioning device. In the case where the CScarry-in device comprises the third-direction carry-in device and themounting device according to the fifth or sixth feature (5) or (6), itis desirable that the mounting device comprise the positioning device.

(29) According to a twenty-ninth feature of the present invention whichincludes any one of the fourth to twenty-eighth features (4) to (28),the circuit-substrate carry-in device comprises a plurality ofcarrying-direction positioning devices each of which positions thecircuit substrate in a circuit-substrate carrying direction in which thecircuit substrate is carried. In this case, the CS carry-in device cansequentially position a plurality of CSs which are carried in in thethird direction, and can simultaneously transfer the thus positioned CSsto the CS supporting device. In this case, one or more upstreampositioning devices which are provided on the upstream side of the mostdownstream positioning device in the CS carrying direction must be ableto selectively take an operative state in which a positioning memberthereof is moved to, and kept at, an operative position where thepositioning member is engageable with each CS and an inoperative statein which the positioning member is moved to, and kept at, an inoperativeposition where the positioning member is not engageable with each CS.The most downstream positioning device may be one whose positioningmember is not movable. The movable positioning member of the upstreampositioning device or devices may be one which is movable upward anddownward. In this case, the CS carry-in device can simultaneously carryin a plurality of CSs.

(30) According to a thirtieth feature of the present invention whichincludes any one of the fourth to twenty-ninth features (4) to (29), thecircuit component mounting system further comprises a control devicewhich controls the circuit-component mounting device, thecircuit-substrate supporting device, and at least one of thecircuit-substrate carry-in device and the circuit-substrate carry-outdevice. The control device may comprise a computer. Those devices may becontrolled by a single control device, or by three or four controldevices, respectively.

(31) According to a thirty-first feature of the present invention whichincludes the thirtieth feature (30), the circuit-substrate carry-indevice comprises a third-direction carry-in device which carries in thecircuit substrate by moving the circuit substrate to a waiting positionin a third direction substantially parallel to the plane of the circuitsubstrate; and a mounting device which holds the circuit substrate movedto the waiting position, waits while holding the circuit substrate, andmounts the circuit substrate on the circuit-substrate supporting deviceat the waiting position in the second direction, wherein the mountingdevice comprises a pivot-type holding device comprising at least onemain portion, and at least one pivotable portion which is supported bythe main portion such that the pivotable portion is pivotable to aholding position where the pivotable portion supports a lower surface ofthe circuit substrate and thereby holds the circuit substrate, and to areleasing position where the pivotable portion releases the circuitsubstrate, about an axis line substantially parallel to the plane of thecircuit substrate, and wherein the control device includes waitingcontrol means for keeping, at the waiting position, the pivotableportion at the holding position thereof. If the at least one pivotableportion is kept at its holding position with the mounting device beingpositioned at the waiting position, the pivotable portion canimmediately receive, in the third direction, the CS which has beensupplied in the third direction from the third-direction carry-indevice. In the case where the at least one pivotable portion comprisesthe rotatable support members according to the thirteenth feature (13),the CS can be moved in the third direction when the rotatable supportmembers are rotated. In the last case, it is desirable that the heightposition of the respective top ends of the rotatable support members belevel with the height position where the CS is carried in by thethird-direction carry-in device, so that the CS is smoothly transferredfrom the carry-in device onto the support members.

(32) According to a thirty-second feature of the present invention whichincludes the thirtieth or thirty-first feature (30) or (31), thecircuit-substrate carry-out device comprises a removing device whichremoves, from the circuit-substrate supporting device, the circuitsubstrate with the circuit components being mounted thereon, at acircuit-substrate removing position, in the first direction, wherein theremoving device comprises a pivot-type holding device comprising atleast one main portion, and at least one pivotable portion which issupported by the main portion such that the pivotable portion ispivotable to a holding position where the pivotable portion supports alower surface of the circuit substrate and thereby holds the circuitsubstrate, and to a releasing position where the pivotable portionreleases the circuit substrate, about an axis line substantiallyparallel to the plane of the circuit substrate, and wherein the controldevice includes waiting control means for keeping, at thecircuit-substrate removing position, the pivotable portion to thereleasing position thereof. If the at least one pivotable portion iskept at its releasing position with the removing device being positionedat the CS removing position, the pivotable portion can immediatelyremove, in the first direction, the CS supported by the CS supportingdevice. For example, the removing device and/or the CS supporting deviceare/or moved toward each other in the second and/or first directionswith the pivotable portion is kept at its releasing position,subsequently the pivotable portion is pivoted to its holding position,and then the removing device and/or the CS supporting device are/ormoved away from each other. Consequently the CS is removed from the CSsupporting device. In the case where the at least one pivotable portioncomprises the rotatable support members according to the thirteenthfeature (13), the removed CS can be carried out in the third directionby rotating the rotatable support members.

(33) According to a thirty-third feature of the present invention whichincludes any one of the fourth to thirty-second features (4) to (32), atleast one of the circuit-substrate carry-out device and thecircuit-substrate carry-in device comprises a holding device which holdsthe circuit substrate, and wherein the holding device comprises at leastone main member; at least one pivotable member which is attached to themain member such that the pivotable member is pivotable about an axisline substantially parallel to the plane of the circuit substrate; aplurality of rotatable support members which are grouped into a firstgroup and a second group and which are attached to the pivotable membersuch that the rotatable support members are arranged along a straightline parallel to the axis line of the pivotable member and each of thesupport members is rotatable about an axis line perpendicular to theaxis line of the pivotable member; and a rotating device whichselectively operates in a first mode in which the rotating devicerotates the rotatable support members belonging to the first and secondgroups and in a second mode in which the rotating device rotates therotatable support members belonging to the first group and does notrotate the rotatable support members belonging to the second group. Whenthe rotatable support members belonging to the first group are rotatedand the rotatable support members belonging to the second group are notrotated, a first CS supported on the first group of support members ismoved in the third direction, and a second CS supported on the secondgroup of support members is not moved. Thus, the present holding devicecan move a plurality of CSs one by one in the third direction. In thecase where a plurality of CSs are sequentially moved, it is possiblethat one CS may ride on another CS. The present CC mounting system isfree from this problem. In the case where all the rotatable supportmembers are grouped into a plurality of groups each of which consists ofan appropriate number of support members which can support just one CS,each group of support members can be so controlled as to besimultaneously rotated. Accordingly, the rotating device can be said asthe grouped-support-members rotating device. In the case where themounting device comprises the rotating device, it can be said as theplural-circuit-substrates simultaneously mounting device. In this case,when a first CS is supplied in the third direction from thethird-direction carry-in device, all the groups of support members arerotated; and when a second CS is supplied, the group or groups ofsupport members are rotated except the group of support memberssupporting the first CS. Thus, the second CS is moved while the first CSis not moved. When a third CS is supplied, the group or groups ofsupport members are rotated except the groups of support memberssupporting the first and second CSs. All the rotatable support membersmay be grouped into three or more groups. Similarly, the removing devicemay comprise the present holding device and, in this case, the removingdevice can transfer a plurality of CSs one by one to the third-directioncarry-out device in the third direction.

(34) According to a thirty-fourth feature of the present invention whichincludes any one of the fourth to thirty-third features (4) to (33), atleast one of the circuit-substrate carry-out device, thecircuit-substrate carry-in device, and the circuit-substrate supportingdevice comprises a holding device which holds the circuit substrate, andwherein the holding device comprises at least one holding member whichholds the circuit substrate; and a switching device which switches theholding member to a holding position where the holding member holds thecircuit substrate and to a releasing position where the holding memberreleases the circuit substrate. In a prior CC mounting system in which aCS is transferred in a direction parallel to the plane of the CS betweena CS supporting device and a CS carry-in or carry-out device, each ofthe three devices may comprise, as a CS holding device thereof, astationary belt conveyor which is provided by, e.g., a plurality ofrollers, a belt wound on the rollers, and a drive device for rotatingthe rollers, and may not need a CS-holding-device switching device. Onthe other hand, in the present CC mounting system in which a CS istransferred in the first or second direction perpendicular to the planeof the CS, it is desirable that the holding device comprise theabove-described switching device. The switching device may be one whichmoves the at least one holding member to its holding and releasingpositions, or one which rotates the holding member to its holding andreleasing positions. The holding device including the switching devicecan be said as the switchable-type holding device; and the holdingdevice not including the switching device can be said as theun-switchable-type holding device. The CS carry-in or carry-out deviceincluding the switchable-type holding device can be said as theswitchable-type CS conveyor.

(35) According to a thirty-fifth feature of the present invention whichincludes any one of the fourth to thirty-fourth features (4) to (34), atleast one of the circuit-substrate carry-out device and thecircuit-substrate carry-in device comprises an unswitchable-type holdingdevice which comprises a plurality of rollers, a belt which is wound onthe rollers, and a rotating device which rotates the rollers; and aswitchable-type holding device which is switchable to a holding state inwhich the switchable-type holding device holds the circuit substrate andto a releasing state in which the switchable-type holding devicereleases the circuit substrate. The unswitchable-type holding devicetransfers the CS in the third direction parallel to the plane of the CS,and the switchable-type holding device transfers the CS in the first orsecond perpendicular to the plane of the CS. For example, each of thethird-direction carry-in and carry-out devices may comprise theunswitchable-type holding device, and each of the mounting and removingdevices may comprise the switchable-type holding device. Thethird-direction carry-in and carry-out devices each of which comprisesthe unswitchable-type holding device can be said as the unswitchable CSconveyors; and the mounting and removing devices each of which comprisesthe switchable-type holding device can be called as the switchable CSconveyors.

(36) According to a thirty-sixth feature of the present invention, thereis provided a method of mounting circuit components on a circuitsubstrate, comprising the steps of mounting the circuit components onthe circuit substrate supported by a circuit-substrate supportingdevice, removing, from the circuit-substrate supporting device, thecircuit substrate with the circuit components being mounted thereon, ina first direction substantially perpendicular to a plane of the circuitsubstrate, and carrying out the removed circuit substrate by moving thecircuit substrate whose plane extends substantially horizontally, in aparallel direction substantially parallel to the plane of the circuitsubstrate. The step of mounting the CCs and the step of carrying out theremoved CS may be concurrently performed. In the present CC mountingmethod, the CS on which the CCs have been mounted is removed in thefirst direction perpendicular to the plane of the CS. Thus, the timeneeded for performing the step of removing the CS can be reduced ascompared with the case where the CS is removed in the parallel directionparallel to the plane of the CS.

(37) According to a thirty-seventh feature of the present inventionwhich includes the thirty-sixth feature (36), the circuit componentmounting method further comprises steps of carrying in the circuitsubstrate by moving the circuit substrate whose plane extendssubstantially horizontally, in the parallel direction to acircuit-substrate mounting position, and mounting, at thecircuit-substrate mounting position, the circuit substrate on thecircuit-substrate supporting device in a second direction opposite tothe first direction, wherein the step of removing the circuit substratecomprises removing the circuit substrate at a circuit-substrate removingposition away from the circuit-substrate mounting position in theparallel direction. The step of mounting the CCs and the step ofcarrying in the CS may be concurrently performed. In the present CCmounting method, the CS moved to the CS mounting position is mounted onthe CS supporting device in the second direction perpendicular to theplane of the CS. Thus, the time needed for performing the step ofmounting the CS can be additionally reduced. In short, the present CCmounting method enjoys the same advantages as those of the CC mountingsystem wherein the CS carry-in and carry-out devices comprise themounting device and the removing device, respectively, and the CSsupporting device comprises the main holding device and themain-holding-device moving device.

(38) According to a thirty-eighth feature of the present invention whichincludes the thirty-sixth or thirty-seventh feature (36) or (37), thecircuit component mounting method further comprises, after the step ofmounting the circuit components and before the step of removing thecircuit substrate, a step of moving the circuit substrate with thecircuit components being mounted thereon, from a circuit-componentmounting position where the circuit components are mounted on thecircuit substrate to a circuit-substrate removing position where thecircuit substrate is removed. In this case, the CS on which the CCs havebeen mounted is moved to the CS removing position where the CS isremoved.

(39) According to a thirty-ninth feature of the present invention whichincludes the thirty-seventh or thirty-eighth feature (37) or (38), thestep of carrying in the circuit substrate comprises carrying in thecircuit substrate to a waiting position, and waiting while holding, atthe waiting position, the circuit substrate carried in to the waitingposition. Since the CS waits at the waiting position, the CS can beimmediately mounted on the CS supporting device when the CS supportingdevice is permitted to receive the CS. The waiting position and the CSmounting position may, or may not, be the same position. Since the CSmounting position and the CS removing position are distant from eachother, the step of carrying in the CS and/or the step of waiting may beperformed concurrently with the step of removing the CS. The waitingstep can be said as the CS-mounting preparation step.

(40) According to a fortieth feature of the present invention whichincludes any one of the thirty-sixth to thirty-ninth features (36) to(39), the circuit component mounting method further comprises, after thestep of mounting the circuit substrate and before the step of mountingthe circuit components, a step of moving the circuit substrate which hasbeen mounted on the circuit-substrate supporting device and on which nocircuit component has been mounted, from the circuit-substrate mountingposition to a circuit-component mounting position where the circuitcomponents are mounted on the circuit substrate. After the CS is mountedat the CS mounting position, the CS is moved to the CC mounting positionwhere the CCs are mounted on the CS.

(41) According to a forty-first feature of the present invention whichincludes any one of the thirty-sixth to fortieth features (36) to (40),the step of carrying out the circuit substrate comprises carrying out aplurality of circuit substrates one by one in the parallel direction,and wherein the step of removing the circuit substrate comprisessimultaneously removing the plurality of circuit substrates from thecircuit-substrate supporting device. Similarly, the step of carrying inthe circuit substrate may comprise carrying in a plurality of circuitsubstrates one by one in the parallel direction, and the step ofmounting the circuit substrate may comprise simultaneously mounting theplurality of circuit substrates on the circuit-substrate supportingdevice.

(42) According to a forty-second feature of the present invention whichincludes any one of the thirty-sixth to forty-first features (36) to(41), the circuit component mounting method further comprises a step ofmounting, at a time different from a time when the circuit substrate asa first circuit substrate is removed from the circuit-substratesupporting device in the first direction, a second circuit substrate onthe circuit-substrate supporting device in a second direction oppositeto the first direction. In a prior CC mounting method, a CS-removingstep and a CS-mounting step are concurrently performed. On the otherhand, in the present CC mounting method, the CS-removing step and theCS-mounting step are performed at different times. In the prior CCmounting method, the removing and mounting of the CS is done in theparallel direction, whereas in the present CC mounting method, theremoving and mounting of the CS is done in the first and seconddirections. Therefore, the present CC mounting method can reduce theoverall time needed for removing and mounting the CS, although theCS-removing step and the CS-mounting step are performed at differenttimes.

(43) According to a forty-third feature of the present invention whichincludes any one of the thirty-sixth to forty-second features (36) to(42), the step of carrying out the removed circuit substrate comprises astep of moving the removed circuit substrate upward from acircuit-substrate removing height position where the circuit substrateis removed from the circuit-substrate supporting device, to aparallel-direction-movement height position where the removed circuitsubstrate is moved in the parallel direction. Similarly, the step ofcarrying in the circuit substrate may comprise a step of moving thecircuit substrate downward from a parallel-direction-movement heightposition where the circuit substrate is moved in the parallel direction,to a circuit-substrate mounting height position where the circuitsubstrate is mounted on the circuit-substrate supporting device.

(44) According to a forty-fourth feature of the present invention whichincludes the forty-third feature (43), the step of moving the removedcircuit substrate upward comprises moving a holding device holding theremoved circuit substrate, upward, at a speed lower than a speed atwhich the holding device from which the removed circuit substrate hasbeen carried out in the parallel direction is moved downward from theparallel-direction-movement height position to the circuit-substrateremoving height position. Since the removed CS has the CCs mountedthereon, it is desirable that the removed CS be moved upward at a lowspeed. Since the CS supporting device including the holding device isnot involved in the CS carry-out step as described above, the overalltime needed for removing and mounting the CS is not increased even ifthe CS is elevated slowly. Similarly, the step of moving the circuitsubstrate downward may comprise moving a holding device holding thecircuit substrate, downward, at a speed lower than a speed at which theholding device not holding a circuit substrate is moved upward from thecircuit-substrate mounting height position to theparallel-direction-movement height position. The holding device notholding a CS can be moved upward at a high speed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and optional objects, features, and advantages of the presentinvention will be better understood by reading the following detaileddescription of the preferred embodiments of the invention whenconsidered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a circuit component (“CC”) mountingsystem to which the present invention is applied;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the CC mounting system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partly cross-sectioned, side elevation view of a circuitsubstrate (“CS”) carry-in device of the CC mounting system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a CS transferring device of the CCmounting system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a view showing an operation state of the CC mounting system ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a view showing another operation state of the CC mountingsystem of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a view showing yet another operation state of the CC mountingsystem of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a view showing various steps of a CS transferring operation ofthe CC mounting system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a time chart representing the steps of the operation of the CCmounting system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a view showing various steps of a different CS transferringoperation of the CC mounting system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a time chart representing the steps of the differentoperation of the CC mounting system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a time chart representing various steps of a different CStransferring operation of the CC mounting system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 13 is a view showing various steps of a CS transferring operationof another CC mounting system as a second embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 14 is a view showing various steps of a CS transferring operationof a known CC mounting system; and;

FIG. 15 is a time chart representing the steps of the operation of theknown CC mounting system of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a view of a suction device for holding a CS by applyingsuction thereto.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the drawings, there will be described a circuit component(“CC”) mounting system 8 embodying the present invention. The CCmounting system 8 implements a CC mounting method also embodying thepresent invention.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the CC mounting system 8 includes a CCmounting device 10 (FIG. 2) which mounts, at a CC mounting position, CCson a circuit substrate (“CS”); a CS supporting device 12 which supportsthe CS at at least the CC mounting position; a CS carry-in device 14which carries in the CS and transfers the CS to the CS supporting device12; and a CS carry-out device 16 which receives, from the CS supportingdevice 12, the CS on which the CCs have been mounted, and carries outthe CS. The CS carry-in and carry-out devices 14, 16 are providedadjacent to each other on a CS carrying route on which the CS iscarried, and the CC mounting device 10 is provided at the CC mountingposition offset from the CS carrying route. The CC supporting device 12includes a main CS-holding device 20 which holds the CS, and amain-holding-device moving device 22 which moves, in a horizontal plane,the main CS-holding device 20 to the CC mounting position, a CS mountingposition where the CS is mounted on the CS supporting device 12 by theCS carry-in device 14, and a CS removing position where the, CS isremoved from the CS supporting device 12 by the CS carry-out device 16.

The CS carried in by the CS carry-in device 14 is mounted on the CSsupporting device 12 at the CS mounting position, and the mounted CS ismoved to the CC mounting position in an X direction and a Y directionnormal to the X direction in the horizontal plane. At the CC mountingposition, a camera 23 reads fiducial marks provided on the CS andsubsequently the CC mounting device 10 mounts CCs on the CS. The CS onwhich the CCs have been mounted is moved to the CS removing positionwhere the CS is removed by the CS carry-out device 16, which thencarries out the CS.

The CS carry-in device 14 includes a CS horizontal-carry-in (“HCI”)device 24 and a CS mounting device 26. The CS HCI device 24 carries in aCS supplied from a CS supplying device (not shown), in a horizontaldirection, and transfers the CS to the CS mounting device 26 in thehorizontal direction. The CS HCI device 24 includes a conveyor device(not shown) including a pair of conveyor belts and a drive device formoving the conveyor belts and thereby moving the CS in-the horizontaldirection.

The CS mounting device 26 receives, in the horizontal direction, the CSmoved to the CS mounting position, holds the CS, and mounts the CS onthe CS supporting device 12 in a vertically downward directionsubstantially perpendicular to the plane of the CS. The CS mountingdevice 26 includes a CS holding device 28, and an elevating and loweringdevice 30 which elevates and lowers the CS holding device 28 in a Zdirection perpendicular to the X and Y directions. The CS holding device28 includes a pair of pivotable holding portions 32, 33 which areopposed to each other and which are pivotally supported by a pair ofelevating and lowering members 35, 36 of the elevating and loweringdevice 30, respectively.

The elevating and lowering device 30 includes, in addition to theelevating and lowering members 35, 36, two main members 38, 39 whichsupport the two elevating and lowering members 35, 36, respectively,such that the elevating and lowering members 35, 36 are verticallymovable; two drive shafts 40; and a drive device 42. The two driveshafts 40 extends through the two elevating and lowering members 35, 36,the two main members 38, 39, and a frame 44 extending in a CS carryingdirection, such that the two drive shafts 40 are rotatable relative tothe members 35, 36, 38, 39. The first main member 38 and the firstelevating and lowering member 35 are attached to the drive shafts 40,such that the two first members 38, 35 are not movable relative to theshafts 40 in an axial direction of the shafts 40; and the second mainmember 39 and the second elevating and lowering member 36 are attachedto the drive shafts 40, such that the two second members 39, 36 aremovable relative to the shafts 40 in the axial direction of the shafts40 and are fixable at a predetermined position to the shafts 40. Thus,the second main member 39 and the second elevating and lowering member36 are movable toward, and away from, the first main member 38 and thefirst elevating and lowering member 35. When the second members 39, 36are moved toward the first members 38, 35, the second pivotable holdingportion 33 is moved toward the first pivotable holding portion 32, sothat the CS holding device 28 can hold a CS of a sort having a smallwidth; and, when the second members 39, 36 are moved away from the firstmembers 38, 35, the second pivotable holding portion 33 is moved awayfrom the first pivotable holding portion 32, so that the CS holdingdevice 28 can hold a CS of a sort having a great width. Thus, theelevating and lowering device 30 has the function of adjusting thedistance between the two pivotable holding portions 32, 33, owing to themovement of the second pivotable holding portion 33 relative to thefirst pivotable holding portion 32. Thus, the CS mounting device 26 canmount various sorts of CSs having different widths, on the CS supportingdevice 12. The main members 38, 39 and the frame 44 provide mainportions of the CS holding device 28.

Two eccentric cams 46 are fixed to each of the two drive shafts 40, suchthat the eccentric cams 46 are not rotatable relative to the each driveshaft 40. Each of the two elevating and lowering members 35, 36 has twoelliptic holes 48 each of which is elongate in a horizontal direction.Each of the four eccentric cams 46 is engaged with a corresponding oneof the four elliptic holes 48 via a needle bearing, such that the eacheccentric cam 46 is not movable relative to the corresponding elliptichole 48 in the Z direction. Each of the two main members 38, 39 has twoguide grooves 50 which extend in the Z direction and each of which has agenerally U-shaped cross section (however, only the grooves 50 of themain member 38 are shown in FIG. 2). Each of the two elevating andlowering members 35, 36 has two guide projections 52 which are engagedwith the two guide grooves 50 of a corresponding one of the two mainmembers 38, 39 (however, only the projections 52 of the elevating andlowering member 35 are shown in FIG. 2). Owing to the guide grooves 50and the guide projections 52, the elevating and lowering members 35, 36are moved in the Z direction while being prevented from being moved inthe X or Y direction. Thus, each of the four guide grooves 50 and acorresponding one of the four guide projections 52 cooperate with eachother to provide a guide device 54.

As shown in FIG. 4, each of the drive shafts 40 has a spline groove inwhich a spacer 55 fits such that the spacer 55 is not rotatable relativeto the each drive shaft 40 and is movable in the axial direction thereofrelative thereto. The main member 39 is attached to the spacer 55 via abearing 56 such that the main member 39 is rotatable relative to thespacer 55, and the eccentric cam 46 associated with the elevating andlowering member 36 is attached to the spacer 55 via a key (not shown)such that the cam 46 is not rotatable relative to the spacer 55. Thespacer 55 has a flange 57 at one of axially opposite end portionsthereof, and has a plurality of radial holes formed in an outercircumferential surface of the other axial end portion thereof. A splinepin 58 fits in each of the radial holes. Thus, the main member 39 andthe eccentric cam 46 are sandwiched by the spline pins 58 and the flange57 in the axial direction of the spacer 55, and is fixed relative to thespacer 55 in the axial direction thereof. A spacer which is providedbetween the main member 39 and the eccentric cam 46, cooperates with theflange 57 to position the cam 46 in the axial direction of the driveshaft 40. Thus, the main member 39, the elevating and lowering member36, and the spacer 55 are moved as a unit in the axial direction of thedrive shaft 40. When the drive shaft 40 is rotated, the spacer 55 isrotated with the shaft 40, and the rotation of the spacer 55 istransmitted to the eccentric cam 46 via the key. However, the rotationof the spacer 55 is not transmitted to the main member 39.

The main member 38 and the elevating and lowering member 35 are attachedto the drive shaft 40 such that those members 39, 35 are not movablerelative to the drive shaft 40 in the axial direction thereof. The mainmember 38 is attached to the drive shaft 40 via a bearing such that themain member 38 is rotatable relative to the drive shaft 40, and theeccentric cam 46 is attached to the drive shaft 40 via a key 59 suchthat the cam 46 is not rotatable relative to the shaft 40.

The drive device 42 includes an electric motor 60, a guide pulley 62,the two drive shafts 40, two timing pulleys 64 associated with the twodrive shafts 40, respectively, and a belt 66 wound on the guide pulley62 and the timing pulleys 64. The rotation of the electric motor 60 istransmitted to the drive shafts 40 via the belt 66 and, the rotation ofthe drive shafts 40 causes the rotation of the eccentric cams 46. Thus,the elevating and lowering members 35, 36 are elevated and lowered whilebeing guided by the guide devices 54. Each time the eccentric cams 46are rotated by 180 degrees, the elevating and lowering members 35, 36are elevated from their lowermost position to their uppermost position,or are lowered from their uppermost position to their lowermostposition.

As the speed of rotation of the drive shafts 40 increases, the speed ofupward and downward movement of the elevating and lowering members 35,36 increases. However, since the upward and downward movement of theelevating and lowering members 35, 36 is caused by the rotation of theeccentric cams 46, the speed of upward and downward movement of themembers 35, 36 becomes substantially zero in the vicinity of theiruppermost and lowermost positions, even if the speed of rotation of thedrive shafts 40 may be constant. Thus, the speed of upward and downwardmovement of the members 35, 36 smoothly changes between their uppermostand lowermost positions. Thus, the upward and downward movement of theCS can be started and ended at a low acceleration and/or a lowdeceleration, which contributes to reducing the impact exerted to the CSand thereby preventing the CCs from being moved out of position on theCS. In addition, the elevating and lowering members 35, 36 can be movedto their uppermost and lowermost positions with high accuracy. Moreover,this arrangement contributes to reducing the vibration and/or noiseproduced by the CS mounting device 26.

The two pivotable holding portions 32, 33 are pivotally attached to thetwo elevating and lowering members 35, 36, respectively. When themembers 35, 36 are elevated and lowered, the holding portions 32, 33 areelevated and lowered between a CS-receiving height position where theholding portions 32, 33 receive, from the CS HCI device 24, the CS inthe horizontal direction parallel to the plane of the CS, and aCS-mounting height position where the holding portions 32, 33 mount theCS on the CS supporting device 12. Thus, the elevating and loweringmembers 35, 36 also function as main portions of the CS holding device28.

Next, there will be described the construction of the pivotable holdingportion 32 as a representative of the two pivotable holding portions 32,33 that have an identical construction. As shown in FIG. 4, the holdingportion 32 includes a pivotable member 82, and a plurality of rotatablesupport members 86. The pivotable member 82 is pivotally attached to ahorizontal axis member 80 which extends in the CS carrying directionalong the elevating and lowering member 35. The rotatable supportmembers 86 are attached to the pivotable member 82 such that the supportmembers 86 are rotatable relative to the pivotable member 82 aboutrespective axis members 84 perpendicular to the axis member 80. Thepivotable member 82 is pivoted between its CS holding position where therotatable support members 82 take their horizontal attitudes, and its CSreleasing position where the support members 82 take their verticalattitudes. Thus, the pivotable holding portion 32 can be switchedbetween its CS holding state and its CS releasing state.

The CS is supported by the two pivotable holding portions 32, 33 suchthat width-wise opposite end portions of the CS are supported on therotatable support members 86 of the two holding portions 32, 33,respectively. The respective pivotable members 82 of the holdingportions 32, 33 are pivoted about the respective axis members 80 byrespective air-operated cylinder devices 87.

The pivotable member 82 of the pivotable holding portion 32 supports theplurality of rotatable support members 86 such that the support members86 are equidistant from one another at an appropriate regular intervalof distance along a horizontal straight line. A recess 88 is formedbetween each pair of adjacent rotatable support members 86. Thus, thesupport members 86 and the recesses 88 are alternately provided. In astate in which the pivotable member 82 takes its CS holding position,each recess 88 opens in a bottom surface of the pivotable member 82 andan inner surface of the same 82 which is opposed to that of thepivotable member 82 of the other pivotable holding portion 33. Thus,each recess 89 can accommodate a clamp member 90 of the main CS-holdingdevice 20 of the CS supporting device 12, as will be described later.

A support roller 94 is attached to one axial end portion of each of therotatable support members 86 which portion is to contact or engage theCS. A friction ring 96 covers an outer circumferential surface of thesupport roller 94. Owing to the friction rings 96, a great frictionforce is produced between the support members 86 and the CS. Thus, therotations of the support members 86 can be transmitted to the CS withreliability.

A driven pulley 110 is attached to the other axial end portion of eachof the rotatable support members 86 which portion is remote from thesupport roller 94. A plurality of guide pulleys 112 are rotatablyattached to the pivotable member 82 such that the driven pulleys 110 andthe guide pulleys 112 are positioned in the same plane. As shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, the driven pulleys 110 and the guide pulleys 112 aregrouped into an upstream-side group 114 and a downstream-side group 116in the CS carrying direction, and a belt 118 is wound on the drivenpulleys 110 and the guide pulleys 112 of the upstream-side group 114 anda belt 120 is wound on the pulleys 110, 112 of the downstream-side group116. The belt 118 is driven by a drive motor 122, and the belt 120 isdriven by a drive motor 124. The respective rotations of the two drivemotors 122, 124 are synchronized with each other.

In the present embodiment, each of the driven pulleys 110 is a flangedpulley, and some of the guide pulleys 112 are flanged pulleys and theother guide pulleys 112 are non-flanged pulleys. Thus, the belts 118,120 are easily wound on the pulleys 110, 112 and simultaneously areeffectively prevented from coming off the pulleys 110, 112. The drivenpulleys 110, the guide pulleys 112, the belts 118, 120, and the drivemotors 122, 124 cooperate with one another to provide a rotating device126 which rotates the rotatable support members 86. When the supportmembers 86 are rotated, the CS supported on the members 86 are moved inthe horizontal direction parallel to the plane of the CS. Accordingly,the rotating device 126 and the support members 86 cooperate with eachother to provide a CS moving device which moves the CS in a paralleldirection parallel to the plane of the CS.

Two frames 130, 132 bridge between the frame 44 and the main member 38of the elevating and lowering device 30, over the main member 39 and theelevating and lowering members 35, 36. Two positioning devices 134, 136are attached to the two frames 130, 132, respectively, such that thepositioning devices 134, 136 are movable along guide members in adirection perpendicular to the CS carrying direction, i.e., thewidth-wise direction of the CS. The positioning devices 134, 136function as CS-carrying-direction CS-positioning devices each of whichstops the CS when the CS is carried in the CS carrying direction. Thedownstream-side positioning device 134 is not vertically movable but theupstream-side positioning device 136 is vertically movable. Thepositioning device 136 normally takes its upper, inoperative positionand, when the second CS is carried in after the first CS, is lowered toits lower, operative position, as will be described later.

Since the positioning devices 134, 136 are movable in the width-wisedirection of CSs, those devices 134, 136 can act on a generally middleportion of each of different sorts of CSs having different widths.

The CS carry-out device 16 includes a CS horizontal-carry-out (“HCO”)device 150, and a CS removing device 152. The CS HCO device 150 carriesout the CS in a horizontal direction parallel to the plane of the CS.The CS removing device 152 removes the CS on which the CCs have beenmounted, in the direction of thickness of the CS, i.e., a verticallyupward direction perpendicular to the plane of the CS, and transfers theCS to the CS HCO device 150. The CS removing device 152 includes a CSholding device 154 which removes the CS from the CS supporting device 12and holds the CS, and an elevating and lowering device 156 whichelevates and lowers the CS holding device 154 between a CS-removingheight position where the CS holding device 154 removes the CS supportedon the CS supporting device 12, and a CS-transferring height positionwhere the CS holding device 154 transfers the removed CS to the CS HCOdevice 150 in the horizontal direction.

The CS HCO device 150 and the CS removing device 152 have respectiveconstructions similar to those of the CS HCI device 24 and the CSmounting device 26, respectively, and the description of the formerdevices is omitted. It is however noted that a fixed one 157 of two mainmembers of the elevating and lowering device 156 is integral with thefixed main member 38 of the elevating and lowering device 30, and thatthe CS-carry-out CS holding device 154 includes a pair of pivotableholding portions 158, 159 like the CS-carry-in CS holding device 28.

The CS supporting device 12 includes, in addition to the previouslydescribed main CS-holding device 20 and the main-holding-device movingdevice 22, an elevating and lowering device 160 which elevates andlowers the main CS-holding device 20 in the Z direction. The movingdevice 22 includes an X-Y table 162 for moving the main CS-holdingdevice 20 in the X and Y directions in the horizontal plane.

The elevating and lowering device 160 includes a Z-direction slider 164,and a device which elevates and lowers the Z-direction slider 164. Inthe present embodiment, the main CS-holding device 20 is provided on theZ-direction slider 164, and the Z-direction slider 164 is provided onthe X-Y table 162. Thus, the CS held by the main CS-holding device 20can be moved in both the horizontal direction and the verticaldirection. The main CS-holding device 20 is vertically movable between aCS-mounting height position where the CS mounting device 26 mounts theCS on the main CS-holding device 20, a CS-removing height position wherethe CS removing device 152 removes the CS from the main CS-holdingdevice 20, a CC-mounting height position where the CCs are mounted onthe CS, and a horizontal-movement height position where the mainCS-holding device 20 is moved in the horizontal plane. In the presentembodiment, the CS-mounting height position is level with theCS-removing height position.

As shown in FIG. 4, the main CS-holding device 20 includes a pair of CSclamping devices 166, 168 which clamp the CS at the width-wise oppositeend portions thereof, respectively. The CS clamping device 166 isfixedly provided, and the CS clamping device 168 is provided such thatthe device 168 is movable relative to the fixed device 166 in thewidth-wise direction of the CS. There will be described the constructionof the CS clamping device 166 as a representative of the two CS clampingdevices 166, 168 which have an identical construction. It is noted thatthe main CS-holding device 20 cooperates with the CS-carry-in CS holdingdevice 28 to provide a first CS transferring device 170, and cooperateswith the CS-carry-out CS holding device 154 to provide a second CStransferring device 170.

The CS clamping device 166 includes the previously described clampmembers 90, a comb-like main member 176, and a clamp-member pivotingdevice 177 which pivots the clamp members 90 to a CS clamping positionwhere the clamp members 90 clamp the CS and a CS releasing positionwhere the clamp members 90 release the CS. The clamp-member pivotingdevice 177 includes a single rotatable axis member 178 which is providedon the main member 176 such that the axis member 178 is rotatablerelative to the main member 176; a plurality of drive gears 179 whichare provided on the axis member 178 such that the drive gears 179 arenot rotatable relative to the axis member 178; a plurality of sectorgears 180 which are provided as respective integral portions of theclamp members 90; and a plurality of intermediate gears 181 which areprovided between the drive gears 179 and the corresponding sector gears180. The drive gears 179, the sector gears 180, and the intermediategears 181 cooperate with one another to provide a rotation transmittingdevice which transmits the rotation of the axis member 178 to the clampmembers 90.

The clamp members 90 are provided on respective upper surfaces of teethof the comb-like main member 176. The teeth of the main member 176 haverespective inner recesses 182. The clamp members 90 cooperate with theinner recesses 182 to clamp the CS. The intermediate gears 181 aremeshed with the drive gears 179, respectively, and are meshed with thesector gears 180, respectively. Therefore, the rotation of the axismember 178 is transmitted to the clamp members 90 via the gears 179,181, and 180, so that the clamp members 90 are pivoted to their CSclamping and CS releasing positions. The axis member 178 is rotated byan air-operated cylinder device 184.

The present CC mounting system 8 includes a control device 190 (FIG. 2)which is essentially provided by a computer and which controls theelectric motors 60, 122, 124, etc.

Next, there will be described the operation of the CC mounting system 8constructed as described above, by reference to FIGS. 8 and 9.

The first and second steps illustrated in FIG. 8 are CS carry-in steps.After the CC mounting device 10 finishes mounting CCs on CSs 200, 202,the main CS-holding device 20 which holds the CSs 200, 202 on which theCCs have been mounted is moved, by the main-holding-device moving device22, from the CC mounting position to the CS removing position in ahorizontal direction parallel to the plane of each CS 200, 202. The term“OPEN” used in FIG. 8 indicates that the pair of pivotable members 82 ofthe CS-carry-in or CS-carry-out CS holding device 28 or 154 take theirCS releasing position; the term “CLOSE” indicates that the pair ofpivotable members 82 take their CS holding position; the term “UP”indicates that the CS-carry-in or CS-carry-out CS holding device 28 or154 take their CS receiving or CS transferring height position; and theterm “DOWN” indicates that the CS-carry-in or CS-carry-out CS holdingdevice 28 or 154 take their CS mounting or CS removing height position.

Now, the CS-carry-out CS holding device 154 is, at its CS removingposition, in a waiting state in which the CS holding device 154 is readyfor removing the CSs 200, 202 clamped by the main CS-holding device 20.That is, the CS holding device 154 is at its CS removing heightposition, and the pivotable members 82 of the CS holding device 154 areat their CS releasing position.

In addition, new CSs 210, 212 are carried in by the CS HCI device 24 inthe horizontal direction parallel to the respective planes of the CSs210, 212, and are transferred to the CS mounting device 26. Both of thedrive motors 122, 124 of the CS-carry-in CS holding device 28 areoperated, and all the rotatable support members 86 belonging to both thedownstream-side and upstream-side groups 114, 116 are rotated. The firstCS 210 is moved with the rotation of the support members 86 in thehorizontal direction parallel to the plane of the CS 210, until theleading end of the CS 210 butts the downstream-side positioning device134. In this state, the upstream-side positioning device 136 is at itsupper position where the positioning device 136 cannot stop the CS 210.When the CS 210 butts the positioning device 134, the drive motor 122 isstopped and accordingly the CS 210 is stopped there.

Subsequently, the upstream-side positioning device 136 is lowered to itsCS positioning height position. Only the drive motor 124 is operated andonly the rotatable support members 86 belonging to the upstream-sidegroup 116 are rotated. Since the rotatable support members 86 belongingto the downstream-side group 114 are not rotated, the first CS 210 isprevented from being moved in any direction and accordingly it remainsstopped. When the second CS 212 is moved in the horizontal directionparallel to the plane of the CS 212 and the leading end of the CS 212butts the upstream-side positioning device 136, the drive motor 124 isstopped and the CS 212 is stopped there. Thus, the CS holding device 28holds the two CSs 210, 212 which have thus been positioned in the CScarrying direction, and waits in this state.

In this way, while CCs are mounted on CSs at the CC mounting positionand the CSs on which the CCs have been mounted are moved from the CCmounting position to the CS removing position, new CSs are carried in bythe CS HCI device 24 and are transferred to the CS mounting device 26 inthe horizontal direction parallel to the planes of the new CSs. Then,the CS holding device 28 waits in this state, as shown in FIG. 5.

When the main CS-holding device 20 arrives at the CS removing position,the third step shown in FIG. 8, that is, the CS removing step starts. Inthe CS removing device 152, the pivotable members 82 of the CS-carry-outCS holding device 154 are rotated to their CS holding position and, inthe CS supporting device 12, the clamp members 90 are rotated to theirCS releasing position. Thus, the two CSs 200, 202 are held by the CSholding device 154 and are simultaneously removed from the CS supportingdevice 12 in the direction of thickness of each CS 200, 202perpendicular to the plane of the same 200, 202. While the pivotablemembers 82 are at their CS holding position, the clamp members 90 areaccommodated in the recesses 88, respectively, as shown in FIG. 6. Thus,the clamp members 90 and the rotatable support members 86 are alternatewith each other, that is, the CS clamping positions and the CS holdingpositions are alternate with each other on the CS. Accordingly, thesupport members 86 and the clamp members 90 do not interfere with eachother. Therefore, the clamp members 90 of the main CS-holding device 20can be rotated between their CS clamping position and their CS releasingposition, while simultaneously the pivotable members 82 of theCS-carry-out CS holding device 154 are rotated between their CSreleasing position and their CS holding position. Thus, the CStransferring operation can be performed smoothly.

It emerges from the foregoing description that in the presentembodiment, when the CSs 200, 202 on which the CCs have been mounted aretransferred between the CS supporting device 12 and the CS carry-outdevice 16, the CSs 200, 202 are not substantially moved, which leads toreducing the impact exerted to the CSs 200, 202 and effectivelypreventing the CCs from being moved out of position on the CSs 200, 202.In addition, since the CSs 200, 202 are removed in the direction ofthickness thereof, the CS removing operation can be finished in ashorter time than that needed when CSs are removed in a directionparallel to the plane of each CS. Moreover, since two CSs 200, 202 canbe simultaneously removed, the present system 8 can enjoy improvedoperation efficiency.

Meanwhile, in the CS mounting device 26, the downward movement of theCS-carry-in CS holding device 28 is started. As previously described,this downward movement is started when the main CS-holding device 20reaches the CS removing position. After the main CS-holding device 20reaches the CS mounting position, the main CS-holding device 20 is moveddownward to its CS-mounting height position at a low speed, whichcontributes to reducing the impact exerted to the CSs 200, 202. Althoughthe downward movement of the CS holding device 28 is performed at thelow speed, the total time needed for transferring the CSs 200, 202, 210,212 is not increased, because the downward movement is performedconcurrently with the removing of the CSs 200, 202. Since in the presentembodiment the CS mounting position and the CS removing position areremote from each other, the operation at the CS mounting position andthe operation at the CS removing position can be performed concurrently.

At the fourth and fifth steps shown in FIG. 8, the main CS-holdingdevice 20 is lowered to its horizontal-movement height position and thenis moved to its CS mounting position in a horizontal direction, as shownin FIG. 7. Since currently the main CS-holding device 20 is not holdingany CSs, the downward and horizontal movements of the CS holding device20 can be quickly performed with an abrupt acceleration and/or an abruptdeceleration. In the known CC mounting system 500 shown in FIG. 14, themain CS-holding portion 518 cannot be moved in the CS carryingdirection. In contrast, in the present CC mounting system 8, the mainCS-holding device 20 is moved in the CS carrying direction. Since,however, the CS holding device 20 can be quickly moved in the CScarrying direction as described above, the time needed for the movementof the CS holding device 20 is not increased so much.

The main CS-holding device 20 is lowered before being moved in thehorizontal direction, because in the state shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 inwhich the main CS-holding device 20 and the CS-carry-out CS holdingdevice 154 are at their CS removing positions, the clamp members 90 areaccommodated in the recesses 88 of the pivotable members 82 andaccordingly interfere with the horizontal movement of the CS holdingdevice 20. In addition, since the CS holding device 154 is holding theCSs 200, 202 and the CS holding device 20 is not holding any CSs, thedownward movement of the CS holding device 20 can be performed morequickly than the upward movement of the CS holding device 154, so thatthe horizontal movement of the CS holding device 20 can be started morerapidly.

After the CSs 200, 202 are removed from the CS supporting device 12, theupward movement of the CS-carry-out CS holding device 154 holding theCSs 200, 202 is started. The CS holding device 154 is moved upward tothe CS-transferring height position where the respective lower surfacesof the CSs 200, 202 held thereby are slightly higher than the uppersurfaces of the conveyor belts of the CS HCO device 150. Since thisupward movement is performed by utilizing the eccentric cams 46, theacceleration and deceleration of the upward movement at the lowermostand uppermost positions of the CS holding device 154 can be made small,which contributes to reducing the impact exerted to the CSs 200, 202 onwhich the CCs have been mounted, thereby effectively preventing the CCsfrom being moved out of position on the CSs 200, 202. Since this upwardmovement is performed concurrently with the horizontal movement of themain CS-holding device 20, the overall time needed for transferring theCSs 200, 202, 210, 212 is not increased although the upward movement isperformed at a low speed.

When the main CS-holding device 20 is horizontally moved to its CSmounting position, the sixth step commences, and the main CS-holdingdevice 20 is moved upward to its CS mounting height position. Thus, theclamp members 90 of the main CS-holding device 20 which are at their CSreleasing position are accommodated in the recesses 88 of the pivotablemembers 82 of the CS-carry-in CS holding device 28, and the bottomsurfaces of the recesses 182 of the main member 176 of the CS clampingdevices 166, 168 engage the lower surfaces of the CSs 210, 212.

The seventh step is the CS mounting and CS carrying-out step. In the CSsupporting device 12, the clamp members 90 are pivoted to their CSclamping position and, in the CS-carry-in CS holding device 28, thepivotable members 82 are pivoted to their CS releasing position. Thus,the two CSs 210, 212 are simultaneously mounted on the CS supportingdevice 12. The CSs 210, 212 are handed smoothly without being moved inthe vertical direction, like when the CSs 200, 202 are handed for beingremoved from the CS supporting device 12. Thus, the impact exerted tothe CSs 210, 212 is reduced. Therefore, even if the CSs 210, 212 whichare carried in by the CS carry-in device 14 may have some CCs alreadymounted thereon, those CCs are prevented from being moved out ofposition on the CSs 210, 212. In addition, since the CSs 210, 212 aremounted on the CS supporting device 12 in the direction of thickness ofeach CS 210, 212, the time needed for mounting the same 210, 212 can beshortened. Moreover, the two CSs 210, 212 can be simultaneously mountedon the CS supporting device 12 while being positioned in the CS carryingdirection.

Meanwhile, the CS removing device 152 starts the transferring of the CSs200, 202 to the CS HCO device 150 in the horizontal direction parallelto the plane of each CS 200, 202. The drive motor 122 is started torotate the rotatable support members 86 belonging to the downstream-sidegroup 114, so that the CS 200 is transferred horizontally to the CS HCOdevice 150. Thereafter, both of the drive motors 124, 122 are operatedto rotate all the rotatable support members 86 belonging to theupstream-side and downstream-side groups 116, 114, so that the CS 202 istransferred horizontally to the CS HCO device 150. The two CSs 200, 202are transferred to the CS HCO device 150 in the order of description.Thus, during this horizontal movement of the CSs 200, 202, the CSs 200,202 are effectively prevented from riding on each other. Since thishorizontal transferring of the CSs 200, 202 are performed withoutinvolving the operation of the CS supporting device 12, the horizontaltransferring of the CSs 200 202 can be performed concurrently with themounting of the CSs 210, 212 and/or the mounting of CCs on the CSs 210,212. The CSs 200, 202 transferred to the CS HCO device 150 are carriedout by the same 150 in the horizontal direction parallel to the plane ofeach CS 200, 202.

The eighth and ninth steps are the CS carrying-out step. The CS-carry-inCS holding device 28 is moved upward, and the main CS-holding device 20is moved from its CS mounting position to its CC mounting position.Since the CS-carry-in CS holding device 28 is not holding any CSs, theCS holding device 28 can be quickly moved up with an abrupt accelerationand/or an abrupt deceleration. At the CS receiving height position ofthe CS holding device 28, the pivotable members 82 of the same 28 arerotated to their CS holding position. Thus, the CS holding device 28waits in a state in which the CS holding device 28 is ready forreceiving the CSs carried in by the CS HCI device 24. Meanwhile, at theCS removing height position of the CS removing device 152, the pivotablemembers 92 of the same 152 are rotated to their CS releasing position.In this state, the CS-carry-out CS holding device 154 waits.

The present CC mounting system 8 mounts CCs on the CSs 200, 202, 210,212 in the above-described manner. FIG. 9 shows that the present system8 needs only 1.3 second to remove the two CSs 200, 202 from the CSsupporting device 12 and mount the two CSs 210, 212 on the CS supportingdevice 12. Since the removing of the CSs 200, 202 and the mounting ofthe CSs 210, 212, i.e., the transferring of the CSs 200, 202, 210, 212are performed in the direction of thickness of each CS 200, 202, 210,212, the time needed for the transferring of the CSs 200, 202, 210, 212can be shorter than a time that would be needed when the transferring isperformed in the parallel direction parallel to the plane of each CS.Since the CS supporting device 12 can be freely moved during the thussaved time, the device 12 can enjoy improved operation efficiency, whichleads to improving the operation efficiency of the present CC mountingsystem 8.

Recently, CSs which have a small dimension in the CS carrying directionare widely used in portable telephones. The present CC mounting system 8can simultaneously transfer two CSs which have a small dimension in theCS carrying direction, and accordingly can enjoy improved operationefficiency.

The present CC mounting system 8 can mount CCs on each of various sortsof CSs which have different dimensions in the CS carrying directionand/or their width-wise direction perpendicular to the CS carryingdirection. Depending upon the dimensions of the CSs, the distancebetween the pair of pivotable CS holding devices 32 and 33, or 158 and159, or the pair of CS clamping devices 166 and 168 is adjustable in theCS mounting device 26, the CS removing device 152, or the mainCS-holding device 20, respectively. Meanwhile, in the case where thepresent system 8 mounts CCs on CSs which have a great dimension in theCS carrying direction, both of the drive motors 122, 124 are constantlyoperated to rotate all the rotatable support members 86, when each CS ishorizontally transferred from the CS HCI device 24 to the CS mountingdevice 26 and when each CS is horizontally transferred from the CSremoving device 152 to the CS HCO device 150. Thus, the CSs which have agreat dimension in the CS carrying direction can be transferred in thehorizontal direction parallel to the plane of each CS. In this case, theupstream-side positioning device 136 remains kept at its upper orretracted position.

FIG. 10 shows the steps of the operation for transferring a single CS220 which have a great dimension in the CS carrying direction, and FIG.11 shows the time chart of that operation. FIG. 11 indicates that thepresent CC mounting system 8 needs only 1.3 second to transfer thesingle CS 220. In contrast, FIG. 15 shows that the known CC mountingsystem 500 needs 5.0 seconds. Thus, the present system 8 can transfereach CS in about one third of the conventional time.

FIG. 12 shows the time chart of an operation for transferring a singleCS which have a small dimension in the CS carrying direction. Since theCS can be held by any portion of each of the main CS-holding device 20,the CS-carry-in CS holding device 28, and the CS-carry-out CS holdingdevice 154, the distance of horizontal movement of the main CS-holdingdevice 20 can be shortened and accordingly the time needed for thehorizontal movement can be shortened. Since the time needed for thehorizontal movement can be shortened, the time needed for the downwardmovement of the CS-carry-in CS holding device 28 holding the CS from itsCS receiving height position to its CS mounting height position can beshortened in comparison with the second to seventh steps shown in FIG.10.

Thus, the present CC mounting system 8 can mount CCs on various sorts ofCSs having different dimensions, while reducing the overall time neededfor mounting and removing each sort of CS.

It is noted that the CS HCI device 24 and the CS HCO device 150 can besaid as fixed or main conveyor devices and that the CS mounting device26 and the CS removing device 152 can be said as movable or auxiliaryconveyor devices.

In the illustrated embodiment, both the removing of one or two CSs fromthe CS supporting device 12 and the mounting of one or more CSs on thesame 12 are performed in the direction of thickness of each CS. However,even in the case where the removing of one or two CSs from the CSsupporting device 12 is performed in the direction of thickness of eachCS but the mounting of one or more CSs on the same 12 is not performedin the direction of thickness of each CS, the overall time needed fortransferring each CS can be shortened because, even in the known CCmounting system as shown in FIG. 14, the speed of horizontaltransferring of the CS 520 from the CS carry-in device 514 to the CSsupporting device 512 can be increased unlike the speed of horizontaltransferring of the CS 521 from the CS supporting device 512 to the CScarry-out device 516, that is, because no CC or only a small number ofCCs are mounted on the CS 520 which is transferred from the CS carry-indevice 514 to the CS supporting device 512.

In the illustrated embodiment, two CSs are simultaneously mounted orremoved. However, three or more CSs can be simultaneously mounted andremoved, to further improve the operation efficiency of the CC mountingsystem 8. In this case, for example, the rotatable support members 86are divided into three or more groups, so that each of the three or moregroups of support members 86 may be rotated independent of the othergroups.

In the illustrated embodiment, when the two CSs 200, 202 are transferredfrom the CS removing device 152 to the CS HCO device 150, the CSs 200,202 are moved one by one in the horizontal direction. However, thismanner is not essentially required. It is possible that the two CSs 200,202 be simultaneously moved by operating both of the drive motors 122,124, because it is not necessary to position the CSs 200, 202 in the CScarrying direction unlike in the case where the CSs 210, 212 are carriedin. In the case where the two CSs 200, 202 are simultaneously moved, itis not necessary to group the rotatable support members 86 of theCS-carry-out CS holding device 154 into the upstream-side anddownstream-side groups 114, 116.

In the illustrated embodiment, each of the CS-carry-in and CS-carry-outCS holding devices 28, 154 supports the lower surface of each CS, andthe main CS-holding device 20 clamps each CS. However, at least one ofthe three CS holding devices 28, 154, 20 may be replaced by anair-suction device 300 which holds each CS by applying air suctionthereto as shown in FIG. 16.

In the illustrated embodiment, each of the CS-carry-in and CS-carry-outelevating and lowering devices 30, 156 employ the eccentric cams 46.However, each of the elevating and lowering devices 30, 156 may employ ahydraulic actuator for elevating and lowering a corresponding one of theCS-carry-in and CS-carry-out CS holding devices 28, 154. Since, inparticular, the CS-carry-in elevating and lowering device 30 can moregreatly accelerate and/or decelerate the upward and downward movementsof the CS holding device 28 than the CS-carry-out elevating and loweringdevice 156, it is more advantageous for the elevating and loweringdevices 30 to employ a hydraulic actuator in place of the eccentric cams46.

In the illustrated embodiment, the CC mounting position is differentfrom the CS mounting position and the CS removing position, andaccordingly the main CS-holding device 20 must be able to move in thehorizontal direction. However, the the CC mounting position may coincidewith at least one of the CS mounting position and the CS removingposition. In the latter case, at least one of the CS mounting device 26and the CS removing device 152 is provided with a moving device whichmoves the CS holding device 28, 154 thereof to, and away from, the CCmounting or removing position.

In the illustrated embodiment, the CC mounting device 10 is providedwith only the single camera 23 which reads the fiducial marks of eachCS. However, two or more cameras 23 may be employed. In the case wheretwo or more cameras 23 are provided in a direction parallel to the CScarrying direction, the cameras 23 can concurrently read the fiducialmarks of two or more CSs, respectively. In the case where two or morecameras 23 are provided in a direction perpendicular to the CS carryingdirection, the cameras 23 can simultaneously read two or more fiducialmarks of each CS, respectively. In any case, the present CC mountingsystem 8 can read the fiducial mark or marks of each CS in a reducedtime, and accordingly can shorten the time needed for mounting CCs oneach CS.

The control manners or patterns shown in FIGS. 9, 11, and 12 are justexamples. The present CC mounting system 8 can be operated according todifferent control patterns.

FIG. 13 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, which alsorelates to a CC mounting system. In the present CC mounting system 248,a CC carry-in device 250, 252 includes an elevating and lowering devicefor elevating and lowering a CS-carry-in CS holding device 256, and a CCcarry-out device 250, 254 includes an elevating and lowering device forelevating and lowering a CS-carry-out CS holding device 258. However, aCS supporting device 264 does not include an elevating and loweringdevice for elevating and lowering a main CS-holding device (not shown)thereof. In addition, each of the CS-carry-in CS holding device 256 andthe CS-carry-out CS holding device 258 is switchable to its CS holdingstate and its CS releasing state by utilizing horizontal movement,unlike the first embodiment wherein the pivotal motion of the pivotablemembers 82 is utilized for the same purpose. Moreover, the carrying-inof each CS in a horizontal direction parallel to the plane of the CS,and the mounting of the CS in a vertically downward directionperpendicular to the plane of the CS are performed by the singleCS-carry-in CS holding device 256, and the removing of the CS in avertically upward direction, and the carrying-out of the CS in thehorizontal direction are performed by the single CS-carry-out CS holdingdevice 258.

The instant CC mounting system 248 includes a guide member 250 whichextends in a CS carrying direction, and two sliders 252, 254 each ofwhich is guided by the guide member 250. The first slider 252 supportsan end portion of the CS-carry-in CS holding device 256, such that theCS holding device 256 is movable upward and downward, and the secondslider 254 supports an end portion of the CS-carry-out CS holding device258, such that the CS holding device 258 is movable upward and downward.

Each of the CS-carry-in CS holding device 256 and the CS-carry-out CSholding device 258 includes a pair of holding members 260, 262 which aremovable relative to each other in a horizontal direction. Each pair ofholding members 260, 262 are movable toward each other to their CSholding position where respective holding hands thereof cooperate witheach other to support a lower surface of a CS 270 and thereby hold theCS, and are movable away from each other to their CS releasing positionwhere the two holding hands release the CS. Thus, each of the two CSholding devices 256, 258 is switchable to its CS holding and releasingpositions. The distance between each pair of movable holding members260, 262 positioned at their CS holding position is easily adjustable,depending upon the dimension of the CS in the CS carrying direction.Thus, each of the CS-carry-in and CS-carry-out CS holding devices 256,258 can hold various sorts of CSs having different dimensions in the CScarrying direction. Thus, the adjusting of the distance between eachpair of movable holding members 260, 262 positioned at their CS holdingposition, and the switching of each pair of movable holding members 260,262 between their CS holding and releasing positions can be performed bya single drive source, which leads to reducing the production cost ofthe present CC mounting system 249.

Each of the CS-carry-in CS holding device 256 and the CS-carry-out CSholding device 258 can be elevated and lowered between its CS carryingheight position where the CS is carried in the horizontal directionparallel to the plane thereof, and its CS transferring height positionwhere the CS is transferred to, or from, the CS supporting device 264.Reference numerals 266, 268 designate a CS supplying device and a CSdischarging device, respectively. The CS holding device 256 ishorizontally moved between a CS receiving position and a CS mountingposition, and the CS holding device 258 is horizontally moved between aCS removing position and a CS discharging position.

The CS supporting device 264 includes a main CS-holding device and amain-holding-device moving device (not shown) which are similar to themain CS-holding device 20 and the main-holding-portion moving device 22of the first CC mounting system 8. The main CS-holding device of thedevice 264 is horizontally moved between the CC mounting position, theCS mounting position, and the CS removing 40 position. The CS supportingdevice 264 does not include a device for elevating and lowering the mainCS-holding device thereof, as described above.

In the first, second, and third steps shown in FIG. 13, the CS-carry-inCS holding device 256 holding the CS 270 is moved to the CS mountingposition in the horizontal direction parallel the plane of the CS 270.Thus, the CS 270 is carried in from the CS supplying device 266. At theCS mounting position, the CS holding device 256 waits while holding theCS 270, i.e., waits in a state in which the CS holding device 256 isready for mounting the CS 270 on the CS supporting device 264.

In addition, the CS-carry-out CS holding device 258 waits, at the CSremoving position, in a state in which the CS holding device 258 isready for removing the CS 270 from the CS supporting device 264, i.e.,the pair of movable holding members 260, 262 are kept at their CSreleasing position. Meanwhile, a CS 272 on which CCs have been mountedis moved to the CS removing position in a horizontal direction parallelto the plane of the CS 272.

In the fourth and fifth steps, the CS-carry-out CS holding device 258 isquickly moved downward to the CS removing height position, and the twomovable holding members 260, 262 are moved toward each other to their CSholding position. CS clamping members (not shown) of the CS supportingdevice 264 are switchable to their CS releasing position. The CS holdingdevice 258 removes, from the CS supporting device 264, the CS 272 in thedirection of thickness thereof. Subsequently, the CS holding device 258is slowly elevated, and the CS supporting device 264 is quickly moved tothe CS mounting position in a horizontal direction. Before the CSsupporting device 264 is moved horizontally, the CS holding device 258is moved upward for preventing the holding members 260, 262 frominterfering with the horizontal movement of the main CS-holding deviceof the supporting device 264.

In the sixth step, the CS-carry-in CS holding device 256 is slowly moveddownward to the CS mounting height position, and the two movable holdingmembers 260, 262 are moved away from each other to their CS releasingposition. The clamp members of the CS supporting device 264 are switchedto their CS clamping position. The CS holding device 256 mounts, on theCS supporting device 264, the CS 270 in the direction of thicknessthereof. Subsequently, the CS holding device 256 is quickly elevated.

In addition, the CS-carry-out CS holding device 258 is movedhorizontally to the CS discharging position, and the CS 272 istransferred from the CS holding device 258 to the CS discharging device268, which then carries out the CS 272.

In the seventh step, the CS-carry-in CS holding device 256 is movedhorizontally to the CS supplying position, and the CS supporting device264 is moved horizontally to the CC mounting position.

As is apparent from the foregoing description, in the second embodimentshown in FIG. 13, the mounting and removing of the CSs 270, 272 areperformed in the direction of thickness thereof, which contributes toreducing the overall time needed for transferring the CSs 270, 272.Since the CS supporting device 264 is not provided with a device forelevating and lowering the main CS-holding device thereof, as describedabove, the overall time needed for the second CC mounting system 248 totransfer the CSs 270, 272 may involve the time needed for lowering andelevating the CS-carry-in CS holding device 256 holding the CS 270 andthe CS-carry-out CS holding device 258 holding the CS 272, andaccordingly may be greater as such than that needed for the first CCmounting system 8 to perform the same operation. However, thetransferring of the CSs 270, 272 is performed in the direction ofthickness of each CS 270, 272, the second system 248 can receive the CS270 and transfer the CS 272 in a still shorter time than that needed forthe known CC mounting system 500 to perform the same operation. Inaddition, the carrying-in of the CS 270 in the horizontal direction andthe mounting of the CS 270 in the direction of thickness thereof areperformed by the single CS-carry-in CS holding device 256, and theremoving of the CS 272 in the direction of thickness thereof and thecarrying-out of the CS 272 in the horizontal direction are performed bythe single CS-carry-out CS holding device 258. This arrangement leads tosimplifying the construction of the CC mounting system 248.

In the second embodiment, the pair of holding members 260, 262 of eachof the two CS holding devices 256, 258 hold the opposite end portions ofeach CS 270, 272, respectively, in the CS carrying direction. However,it is possible that each of the two CS holding devices 256, 258 beprovided with a pair of holding members which hold the width-wiseopposite end portions of each CS 270, 272. In addition, it is possiblethat at least one of the two CS holding devices 256, 258 be providedwith a pair of pivotable CS-holding members which are similar to thepivotable members 82 of the first CC mounting system 8. The mainCS-holding device of the CS supporting device 256 may be modified tosupport the lower surface of each CS 270, 272, in place of employing theCS clamping members which are similar to the clamp members 90 of thefirst system 8. In the latter case, the CS holding device 256 can mounteach CS 70 on the main CS-holding device of the supporting device 264,by releasing the CS and thereby allowing the same to fall on the device264. The CS supporting device 264 may be provided with a device forelevating and lowering the main CS-holding device thereof. In this case,the overall time needed for the second system 248 to transfer the CSs270, 272 can be shortened to the same degree as that needed for thefirst system 8 to do so. In addition, in the last case, the two CSholding devices 256, 258 may be supported by the two sliders 252, 254,respectively, such that each CS holding device 256, 258 is not movableupward or downward.

In each of the first and second embodiments, each of the CS carry-indevice 14, 250, 252, the CS carry-out device 16, 250, 254, the CSsupporting device 12, 264, and the CC mounting device 10 may be modifiedas needed.

It is to be understood that the present invention may be embodied withother changes, improvements, and modifications that may occur to theperson skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit ofthe invention defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of mounting circuit components on acircuit substrate, comprising the steps of: mounting the circuitcomponents on the circuit substrate supported by a circuit-substratesupporting device, removing, from the circuit-substrate supportingdevice, the circuit substrate with the circuit components being mountedthereon, in a first direction substantially perpendicular to a plane ofthe circuit substrate, and carrying out the removed circuit substrate bymoving the circuit substrate whose plane extends substantiallyhorizontally, in a parallel direction substantially parallel to theplane of the circuit substrate.
 2. A method according to claim 1,further comprising steps of: carrying in the circuit substrate by movingthe circuit substrate whose plane extends substantially horizontally, insaid parallel direction to a circuit-substrate mounting position, andmounting, at the circuit-substrate mounting position, the circuitsubstrate on the circuit-substrate supporting device in a seconddirection opposite to the first direction, wherein the step of removingthe circuit substrate comprises removing the circuit substrate at acircuit-substrate removing position away from the circuit-substratemounting position in said parallel direction.
 3. A method according toclaim 1, further comprising, after the step of mounting the circuitcomponents and before the step of removing the circuit substrate, a stepof moving the circuit substrate with the circuit components beingmounted thereon, from a circuit-component mounting position where thecircuit components are mounted on the circuit substrate to acircuit-substrate removing position where the circuit substrate isremoved.
 4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the step of carryingin the circuit substrate comprises carrying in the circuit substrate toa waiting position, and waiting while holding, at the waiting position,the circuit substrate carried in to the waiting position.
 5. A methodaccording to claim 2 further comprising, after the step of mounting thecircuit substrate and before the step of mounting the circuitcomponents, a step of moving the circuit substrate which has beenmounted on the circuit-substrate supporting device and on which nocircuit component has been mounted, from the circuit-substrate mountingposition to a circuit-component mounting position where the circuitcomponents are mounted on the circuit substrate.
 6. A method accordingto claim 1, wherein the step of carrying out the circuit substratecomprises carrying out a plurality of circuit substrates one by one inthe parallel direction, and wherein the step of removing the circuitsubstrate comprises simultaneously removing the plurality of circuitsubstrates from the circuit-substrate supporting device.
 7. A methodaccording to claim 1, further comprising a step of mounting, at a timedifferent from a time when the circuit substrate as a first circuitsubstrate is removed from the circuit-substrate supporting device in thefirst direction, a second circuit substrate on the circuit-substratesupporting device in a second direction opposite to the first direction.8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of carrying out theremoved circuit substrate comprises a step of moving the removed circuitsubstrate upward from a circuit-substrate removing height position wherethe circuit substrate is removed from the circuit-substrate supportingdevice, to a parallel-direction-movement height position where theremoved circuit substrate is moved in the parallel direction.
 9. Amethod according to claim 8, wherein the step of moving the removedcircuit substrate upward comprises moving a holding device holding theremoved circuit substrate, upward, at a speed lower than a speed atwhich the holding device from which the removed circuit substrate hasbeen carried out in the parallel direction is moved downward from theparallel-direction-movement height position to the circuit-substrateremoving height position.